Enchanted
by ivan n'scent
Summary: This is a compilation of related/unrelated one-shots/drabbles/flashfics based off old ideas, prompts and requests. Current chapter: "HSAM"
1. EDEN

**\- EDEN -**

* * *

 _ **"Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.'**_

 _\- Seneca_

* * *

 _"The preparations are done. They are waiting for you, Len and Rin."_

Perhaps it was the most stupid arrangement every potential heir to the throne must go. Once every century, a selection was done to appoint the next ruler of _Adheres._ It was a fair selection for all pure blooded aristocrats who were direct descendants of the past kings since their possibility to rule wasn't eliminated, however this method was rather bloody and morbid. At least, the last selection went that way. Every _house_ was expecting a _less_ savage competition this time.

The pure blood aristocrat named Len, pushed his younger sister's wheelchair towards the white car. His livid face showed no gratitude for being born an aristocrat. As he pushed his sister's wheelchair closer to the car, hesitation was almost eating him up. The tragedy that occurred a hundred year ago was his very reason why loathe such method of selection. Their history might be fabricated, as it was taught the same through textbooks, but he knew well that the murder was planned. It was no accident, that was why Len feared for his sister's life.

His bright blue eyes glanced down to his sister, and as he looked upon her - he knew she wasn't fit to go through the selection. She was too young, fifteen years of age was not mature enough to be exposed to dirty politics. Besides her age, her disability was also another reason why Len objected to represent the House of Aurum.

The debate inside his head halted as he ceased to walk. His sister, surprised with the tarried momentum, turned her head to look at her older brother. They were a few meters away from the car, and they should be really going now. The messenger from the House of Eden had come this morning to inform them about the ceremony. If her older brother wouldn't move, the opening ceremony would be held up.

She studied how he looked, how tensed his shoulders were and how his hands gripped her wheelchair. Her older brother was trembling. Whether it was because of fear and anxiety, she couldn't tell. Len never acted this way, Rin told herself. If he did, well, she had no idea since men would keep their emotions to themselves. The only thing she could be sure was Len was afraid.

Behind them, there stood their family, each had a determined look on their faces. The whole clan of Summers had their own expectation, of course. The families who belonged to the four major houses were all rooting for their children to rule _Adheres._ It had been a long century since the throne was vacated, and it was about time to choose the new king...or queen.

"Brother," her soft voice called as she placed a hand above her brother's hand. "We have to go. The car is waiting for us. I believe that the other Houses are waiting for us, too."

Len pulled his hand away from hers, only to place them above her head. The bright morning sun made their hair glisten like gold threads. He was not certain what to say, but he knew he didn't want her to join the _Selection of Eden._ "Rin, I think it will be better if you stay here. I can participate to the selection. None of our relatives wish to risk your life here -"

"Do you really think little of me, brother?" Rin looked up to him, identical azure eyes stared at him. That little smile on her lips, it assured Len that nothing could go wrong. Seeing that calming smile reminded Len of the folk songs they sang together whenever they were confined in a safe place. Nevertheless, reality was more twisted than folk songs themselves. For a minute Len did not talk. He continued to stare at his innocent younger sister and to listen at the chirping of the birds. However, when he felt her tugging on his cuffs, he had to say _something._ "We belong to the House of Aurum, brother. Our tenet is _wisdom_. It's absolutely unnecessary to worry about my welfare, believing that we have to battle using our minds."

"But Rin, you know the truth behind this selection -"

"That's why you have to be the King, brother. Change this ruthless standard," Rin smiled. She let go of her brother's wrist and broke their eye contact. "I am confident that you won't put me in danger, brother. Our cousin, Rinto, will also protect me against any plots of assassination - if there will be. I just hope that the fourth member of our house is a friend, not an enemy."

Len, on the other hand, remained motionless. What she said was not enough to convince him that she would be safe all throughout the selection. No, _they were never safe._ Danger had been their company ever since the day of their birth, and they knew there was no way to escape its grasp. The family of Summers was the only remaining clan directly related to the murdered prince, a century ago. The murdered prince was supposed to be the king of _Adheres_ , had he survived the stab that fated day. Their opponents still believed that the Summers had gained the favor of the jury so the selection was pointless. Being direct descendants of the murdered prince costed their lives.

Len had tried renouncing his and his sister's participation to the _Eden_ , however there was no one to replace them. The children of first sons were always chosen, and it so happened that their father was the first grand child of Leon Summers. It was a maze with no way out, Len believed. And this maze was taking the lives of whosoever would enter it.

Len sighed as he continued to push Rin's wheelchair. Though he wanted to save his younger sister from any bloodbath, they still had no choice. He never dared to look back at their house, knowing that their own parents wished them to go as well. They only wanted to gain the _title_ and the _privilege,_ nothing else. When the announcement had reached Len's parents, their first concern was the throne and not their children's lives. _Power_ , that was what every single potential heir had in mind. And if that was a qualification to become a ruler, Len would not be leaving their manor right now. He had no interest in gaining any, nor did he wish to obtain it at all. A peaceful life was all he ever wanted; and people wouldn't seek for something they already have. Len desired to have a life free from plots of assassination, nothing more and nothing less.

He swept her up from her seat and walked their way to the car. The older woman standing near the car, who was the so-called caretaker of the House of Aurum, took the wheelchair and placed it inside the trunk. Len heard from his parents this morning that the said woman had sworn her loyalty to _Aurum,_ and she herself had her daughter joining _Eden._

If this woman had sworn her loyalty to their House, it only meant that she was not an assassin or a spy, was she? That she wouldn't dare to finish them off just to wish her daughter ascend to the throne. After all, declaring one's loyalty meant abandoning all other things to make one single priority. So the question Len had in mind...was this woman an enemy or ally?

The door was opened for Len and Rin, but he neither stepped inside nor brought his sister down. He was staring at the older woman standing adjacent to him, scrutinizing that smile she had on her face.

"My Lord, I haven't done anything to deserve the glare you are giving me," the woman spoke, never lifting her head from being stooped. How come there was an aristocrat as submissive as her? She was acting like a...servant.

"I was just thinking whether you ought to kill us or not. We _can't_ trust anyone, even if you claim your loyalty to our House." Len bent down and placed his sister on a seat, ignoring the glare Rin was giving him. Indeed they were taking so long right now, but he couldn't care much for a ruthless selection that might get them killed. He only rolled his eyes and stood straight, wishing to continue talking with the woman. "How shall I call you?"

She smiled. In all of a sudden the church bell rang, announcing that the ceremony was about to begin. Summers' Manor was only five minutes away from the castle, so the ride should be quick once this talk was finished. Len, of course, could not assess the truth if ever this woman declares her loyalty or denies it, otherwise. But if she were an opponent, she got all the opportunity to shoot the siblings the moment they walked down their doorway.

"Call me Miriam," she said, curtseying to him. "I have sworn my loyalty even before I was born, so you can put your trust in me and my daughter."

"I see no reason why mention your daughter, Lady Miriam. As long as her participation is confirmed, she is a rival." With an arrogant huff, Len turned around and rode the car. He, they, couldn't trust anyone. They were venturing their lives for a power none of the Summers siblings wished to possess. Come to think of it, the messenger from the House of Edennever mentioned the conditions to which the selection would be done.


	2. old hearts

**quick author's note: so I decided to make this book a compilation of oneshots/drabbles instead of an actual full length ff novel for Eden. might continue giving hints about the story of Eden within this book so yeah. wouldn't write Eden bec I can feel that once uni started, I'd be busy. Thanks!**

* * *

 _"Your heart and my heart are old friends."_

* * *

 **Old Hearts**

* * *

Miku rested her head on his shoulder, a finger tracing lines from his stomach up to his bare chest. The warm orange afterglow tinted the exposed skin of their unclad bodies underneath the sheets. Her eyes stared at the sun setting behind the distant foliage seen from the large window of the room. She couldn't help but imagine that the faint sunlight filtered by the lush leaves were stars brought nearer from the night sky.

A smile crossed her lips, remembering that she would always sneak out of their house to meet him and lay by his side, gazing the stars and exchanging vows. It was forbidden, they said. Their love was objected by the people around them, even before it existed. The standards of the society built a tall wall that separated them, that albeit their paths would cross everyday, they knew how wide was the distance between them. At the end of the day, she could only ask why the world was so cruel to them.

It was just the two of them in the middle of wilderness of this forest, where they built a shack of their own. The isolated shack served as a dwelling for Miku and her beloved, a place where they could express the feelings they couldn't let others see, hear and know. She wouldn't think of anything and anyone aside from what was laid in front of her right now - it was him and just him.

Miku rolled over, pressing herself closer to him as though she didn't want to leave his side ever, and rested her chin on his chest. She could feel his slow breathing and his heartbeat, these were the music to her ears. She peered closely to his face, serene and angelic. Those long lashes kissing his cheeks, his perfect nose and his rosy lips - he had all the features of the boy she had seen in her dreams ever since a child. Why couldn't she be his, and he - hers? They were puzzle pieces that were to be placed next to each other. Could they not understand that if they take one of them away from each other, it would be over? Their lives? Or most importantly, the reason to live?

She loved him, she still does, and it was eternal. How many lives have they spent just to find each other again, to taste kisses and hold hands? How many lifetimes had been robbed from them when they never met or heard each other's voices? Her dreams, it revealed all her pains and tears for all those lives they had in the book of life. She told him about her dreams, and he believed they were all true. He had been seeing the same pictures in his mind long ago.

He stirred up and wrapped an arm on her waist, pulling her down once more to lay back on his shoulder. She was told many times or so, that he liked feeling her weight against him, as it was a reminder that she was there and not leaving. She giggled softly, finding his face funny as it scrunched when she refused to oblige his soft tug. This time he groaned and snapped his head to hear direction, eyes closed.

"What's the matter? Aren't you tired?" he asked, almost whispering. The sun was almost disappearing now, she could feel the cold air grazing on their bare skins.

She smiled, leaning forward to give a chaste kiss on his nose. He smiled back, albeit weakly. "Are you tired, Len?"

"Of course," he laughed quietly. "I did my best to satisfy you. I just hope you are, I wonder?"

Miku tucked a lock of his blond hair behind his ear and whispered a yes. Whenever they would be spend time together, be it intimate or not, she was always glad if not all of the times.

"I can't understand why you aren't tired," he stifled a yawn, opening his eyes. He owned a pair of eyes with the comeliest shade of blue she had seen. Back in her dreams, she could recall how she expressed her fascination with the depths of those orbs. They always seemed so intellectual and warm in spite of the color.

"Then I guess you failed to please me," she was obviously teasing him, hinted in the tone of her voice. How could she even deny that she was pleasured? It was Len, after all. The love of her life.

His eyes widened at what she said, there was something awfully familiar about the words she had spoken. They looked at each other in the eyes and stilled for a moment - she was smiling, and he was trying to remember.

The darkness was slowly swallowing everything. The cicadas started serenading the forest with their huge cohort, synchronized. Miku shuddered and nestled closely to Len. It seemed like none of them would rise and dress first, perhaps they could find a remedy how to warm themselves in this cold evening.

"I think you've said that before," he rested his chin atop her head.

"What did I say?"

"That I failed to please you. You've said the same thing in one of my dreams as a little boy," Len was quiet for a good half minute again. "I think I was your servant, but not the servant I was to you in this time. I was much closer and there was no barrier set by the people. But I still can't have you. I can't remember why."

"Then do not recall it anymore," she answered. "Whatever happened back then, I knew I loved you as much I do right this moment."

He nodded silently.

"We run away from a town that tried telling us what's right," her hold on his shoulder tightened. She could hear her friends' voices, telling that the son of the Kagamine family was such looker, it was just a shame that their family had ill-gotten wealth. "It was our families problems. Not ours. Not totally ours in some way."

"We do not possess any wealth anymore. We are working for families such as yours. It is atonement, I guess?" Len sounded so pained with what he said. He who disliked lonely talks, was obviously upset about how their fates kept on twisting in unwanted knots.

"Forget it and let's live this life," she dismissed. None of her dreams showed that she had once eloped with him, that they had tried defying what their society was dictating them to do. All of those memories, vague and brief, were filled with sadness and extreme longing to her other half. "You hate sad stories, don't you?"

He nodded.

"I'll tell you a story, Len. Once upon a time, there are only two of us against the world. A few months from now, there will be three of us so get ready to find our...no, we won't have ending. I hate endings,"

Len rose from the bed and rushed to light the candle on the small table beside him. "What did you say? Three of us? You mean...?"

"Yes."

The blond pulled her up and squeezed her in his arms.


	3. make-believe

**Make-believe**

* * *

If Len's voice sounded like a frog's croak, she would automatically leap from her seat and turn off his frigging phone so he'd stop singing along the music.

Sadly, he had a golden voice like a Lorelei. Whenever Len would serenade her, she'd always find herself attracted to him, mesmerized with the tiny smile crossing his lips as he sang, and entranced by the nimble glances he'd cast on her while playing the guitar. He had this magic that could glue her on her seat and lure her to listen. However, this magic was not one hundred percent accurate.

Miku glared at the blond hogging _her_ bed all to himself. Oh, he was having a really good time lying down there, huh? His hands were linked at the back of his head and his legs crossed above a stack of pillows. She tried to recall why he was spending his Saturday afternoon in her room, and she remembered that they were supposed to go out today, had she not canceled it the last minute. Seeing him relax this way irked her, particularly when she was trying to concentrate on her math homework but he was playing random songs on loudspeaker.

 _"Hey, you tell your friends it was nice to meet them...but I hope I never see them again_ — _"_

"Len, stop yelling!" Miku threw her notebook to him, hitting his face unintentionally. The blond threw the note back to her—which she luckily caught—and sat straight, turning down the music until she couldn't hear the familiar melody anymore. Once the silence was comfortable, Len looked up to meet her glare, only to smile sweetly at her.

"I'm singing, Miku. Yelling is a different thing," he chuckled. _"'Closer'_ is a popular song, you know. I like the melody."

Miku looked away, knowing that this moron was obviously lying. They both knew why he was _yelling_ that part, so why still feign innocence? "Yeah, you think I'll buy that. You never liked electronic music or whatever. Stop fooling yourself."

"Oh, I do. People change, you know. I changed," Len fell back on the bed and remained quiet for some seconds. He listened to the scribbling noises made by her pen while solving for...whatever variable she was finding. "Your friends are annoying."

"Your friends, too."

The blond scoffed and rolled his eyes. He was pretty proud of his comrades, to be honest. They were treating her nicely like he does. Len argued about this thing a thousand times before, but the tealette would always wave him off and conclude that his friends were making fun of her. Like they would, he thought. Len would give them a good and memorable beating if they disrespect her.

"No, they aren't. They are _funny._ Just admit that they can make you laugh nowadays. I saw you talking to Gumo about some conspiracy theory of random shows," Len rolled over to the side of bed where he could her clearly. Miku was almost burying her head on the desk as she worked on that problem. It was only half past one in the afternoon, and she had been answering that homework for the last three hours. Her pillows knew how bored he was right now, watching her working on school stuff wasn't exactly fun.

Miku didn't look his way, instead she continued writing and flipping the pages to check if she was doing the right thing. Arguing with Len was pointless, too—well, all their fights were pointless, particularly this one about each other's circle of friends—and no one has ever won the argument.

"Gumo is the only who radiates benevolence at first sight," she answered, head fixated on her notebook. "He was kind and fun and _nice_ —genuinely nice. He is philanthropic, you know. I like him."

"You don't say that in front of my face," Len barked, his retort laced with sarcasm. If this was one of her numerous plots to make him jealous, well...he didn't actually know if he'd be jealous. After all their relationship began in a rather odd situation. "I'm better than him. In all aspects. And I know you love me."

Though she meant that she liked Gumo as a friend, Len could be sometimes irrational. "Well, Gumo is kinder than you. And funnier, at least his sense of humor isn't as dry as yours. He is nicer, too. So...I think _he's_ better than _you_ , Len."

"But you love me," this time he rose from the bed to sit on the ground beside her table. He had a perfect view of that straight-face she was pulling as she work on her assignment. Miku knew she could ask him to do it for her, it was his expertise. But she was acting stubborn and independent. Damn that _pride_. When Miku ignored the only statement she would not reject, Len paled. "Hey! You still love me, don't you?"

"I don't," was her quick reply. "I canceled the date today because I want to end whatever's going on right now."

"Miku, are you serious? You just told me you love me last night. That was the first time I heard you say that for the past months we're going out. You even kissed me. Then you'd tell me you don't love me? After seventeen hours your feelings have changed? What are you—" Len shushed when Miku glared at him.

Miku rolled her eyes and waved him off. She wasn't exactly the type to express her feelings, so hearing her declare her love for him was gold. "Stop being dramatic. You're such a baby, god."

He placed a hand on her knee and gave it a squeeze. "I want to hear you say it. You just said it last night!" She flinched at his touch. Maybe she didn't like the feeling of his hand on her bare knee.

"Let go! You're overreacting—"

"Hey-ye-llo! Whoa, blond boyfriend is here! Hey, there!"

Why were they always interrupted?

Len withdrew his hands the moment her door slammed open. Three girls barged in the room laughing and gossiping about the weird skateboard they saw on the doorway, and they only turned down when they noticed the blond entity almost hiding beside Miku's study table.

 _So it was Len's skateboard,_ the brunette murmured. Len did not miss the sarcasm in her voice. Her name was Meiko, but Len thought that _bitch_ was a more appropriate name for her. Of course, he wouldn't call her like that whenever she was around.

"Hey-ye-llo, Len! You're supposed to greet me back!" the green haired girl, whose energy drained Len at one glance, greeted as she bounced off beside the busy tealette. "Miku, your boyfriend is being weird again."

"H-hey, Gumi. No, I was just...talking to Miku when you came so...I," the blond looked at his girlfriend, silently asking to back him up. All Miku could give him was a shrug.

"Oh! Heart-to-heart talks? I love sappy talks! What are you talking about?" Gumi lowered her face next to Miku's, breaking the concentration of the brooding tealette. It seemed like she would never finish her homework soon.

This was the exact reason why Len couldn't find the words to say when Gumi was around. She was such a chatterbox, too zestful and talkative for his liking. He watched the green haired woman as she persuade Miku to share what they were talking about, but his girlfriend just continued to push Gumi's face away from her.

"Hey, Lewd! How are you doin'?" the brunette slumped down on Miku's bed, the quiet pink haired girl sitting next to her. "I haven't seen you in a while," the brunette continued, patting the head of the pink haired.

While Miku was doing every _thing_ to detach herself from the nosy chatterbox, Len had to deal with the brunette alone. Meiko was too obvious with her dislike towards the blond, so Len was always putting on his kind act around them. It wasn't like he was pretending to be the perfect, gentleman of a boyfriend, okay? He just wanted to prove to Miku's friend that he was not after Miku for worldly pleasures, unlike what Meiko was always saying.

Len chuckled awkwardly. "My name is Len, Meiko. It's not _lewd._ You keep forgetting my name." The blond was avoiding to roll his eyes at her. He shouldn't...

"Oh! My bad," Len resisted the urge to retort. Meiko laughed apologetically while the girl beside her—Luka, was it?—just shrugged at her. Even the timid pink haired knew she was feigning it. "I haven't seen you in a while, that's why. And Miku never mentioned that you'd be here? We thought your date was canceled."

Miku, running out of patience because of Gumi's persistence, slammed her fists on the table. "Len and I are talking about what happened last night! Are you happy now?" The tealette's face was red, whether it was flushed because of embarrassment or anger, Len couldn't tell. "Why do I have to tell that to you, Gumi? It's personal."

"Oh! Miku's really in love with Len, isn't she?" the green haired turned around to face the other girls, a triumphant grin displayed on her face. "She was always open about everything! Oh, Miku that's really adorable~" she cooed. "You're secretive now, aye?"

Len stared at his girlfriend. He couldn't believe that she was really flustered. Gumi continued to blabber about how cute Miku had become after starting a relationship with him, and Meiko and Luka agreed to her, laughing immodestly at the green haired. They talked animatedly, ignoring Miku's explanation that _it_ shouldn'tbe discussed at all.

Her friends chatted for several minutes, talk drifting from Miku's _furtive_ behavior to her possible intimate interaction with Len. It was uncomfortable for the couple, of course, knowing that they weren't intimate at all. Heck, Miku would always slap him if he'd try holding her hands. He didn't miss how she flinched when he touched her knee a while ago.

Telling her friends that they would buy something to eat, Miku dragged Len out of her room. That place was too awkward for the two, both of their faces were red as tomatoes right now. She was tugging him by the cuff of his sweater.

They were already walking a few blocks away from her house when the girl suddenly talked, releasing his sleeve as she did so. "Maybe you're right. My friends are annoying."

Len chuckled, patting her back. "No, they are nice people. They can make you fluster and blush. I can't do that, you know. I'll thank them later."

"You're so mean,"

"And you love me, I know." He pinched her nose, earning an irritated squeal from his girl. Len inched closer to her, putting an arm around her shoulder for the first time, and slowly, she leaned her head to his shoulder. "Yeah, you really love me."

"I don't love you. Shut up," she shrugged but kept her head there. He was taller than her, and every part of his body was accommodating her petite frame. She liked them this way.

Len leaned down, about to kiss her nose, when another interruption made its way. The two untangled themselves quickly, putting an appropriate distance between them. Len's friend, the white haired blighter with heterochromatic eyes, called him out of nowhere.

"I saw that! I saw that! Uh, huh. Kissing and coddling in broad daylight. Great!" Piko ran to them, occupying the space in between the couple. "Yeah, tell me, how far have you gone?"

Indeed, Len's friends were annoying.

* * *

 **Request: By the way, can you please write something like this: Len and Miku each finds the other's friends and such annoying, but tries to put up to it.**

* * *

 _I hope I did it right, ugh. Happy holidays!_

 _\- ivan._


	4. the end

**The End?**

* * *

He couldn't find a way to calm down. It would be his first time to see _her_ again after two years had passed, and he wasn't sure if he mustered up the courage to meet her. His grip tightening on his tie, he exhaled through his nose.

Len looked at his reflection, carefully studying his clothing. The colors _she_ said that suit him most were the ones he picked up. He could still hear her voice somewhere in his mind, saying that he should find a matching pair of shoes to complement his top. Len didn't have a good sense in matching the colors of whatever he was wearing, so for the past years they were together, he heavily relied upon her choices.

He could feel his palms sweating. Suddenly he reached up to loosen the topmost button near his collar—to enable deep breathing. Len was nervous. When it comes to her, He always was. Like it was always a first time.

It was a simple dinner anyway, why did he have to worry a lot? It was just a friendly dinner. No, actually it wasn't. He didn't think this would be a simple meeting after all. Once upon a time, she used to be his world but it was all in the past now. Reuniting with her would require thicker skin and colder heart—in which he had put on. Yes, he needed to show her that he was doing good for all these years.

Len ran a hand through his blond hair, pushing up a wisp of golden hair that fell loose on his eyes. She always liked his messy hair, but he wouldn't put it that way. He wouldn't meet her to please her or anything, so Len was very cautious just in case he might convey a different message to her. It wasn't like they were getting back after two years of silence and hostility, anyway. Casting a last glance on how he looked like, he ran to his nightstand and picked up his keys, grabbing the small box on the corner as well. It took him an hour just to prepare for this dinner — he never cared how he looked during his past dates before, but this one wasn't strictly business.

Len's mind was plagued with his rehearsed greetings once he came face to face with her. He didn't want to sound awkward or flustered once their eyes meet, he wasn't affected by her _that_ way anymore.

 _Perhaps_.

Two years had done him good, right? It changed him a lot, so his feelings for her might have changed as well. As of the moment he was nervous, but besides that there was nothing else. Len locked the front door and marched to his car, ready to go.

The car door closed after him, he had fired up the ignition soon as he took his seat. It would be a fifteen minutes drive to the restaurant they mutually chose — the place where everything between them had begun.

October was almost ending when Len first saw the newly renovated restaurant at the downtown. He was on his way home that day, standing on a certain spot where the tram would stop thirty minutes later. The sky was dark and the streets were slowly illuminated by the lampposts and consecutive random stalls.

While standing on his usual spot next to the streetlight, his eyes were fixated on the lot he would usually see closed—surrounded by tall tarpaulins. His bare hands were kept inside the deep pockets of his coat, fingertips playing with the ball of thread he could pull from the overcoat. _Take a look or not?_ he asked himself. The warm lighting and wooden tables from the restaurant looked inviting against the wintry breeze blowing on his face.

His eyes lingered at the restaurant for another moment, wondering whether they serve good warming dishes that evening. He was starving too, and his house was still thirty minutes away, cutting trip. For a moment his thoughts drifted to buying a car next year. Taking the tram was taking him too long sometimes. It was dismissed quickly though, for he was already crossing the street.

The warm air caressed his bare, cold face as he pushed his way in. The smell of caramel wafted while he walked briskly further in the restaurant to find a good place to eat his dinner. Len saw a table set right against the wall, located near the hall leading to the loo and the serving counter. The blond scurried towards the ghostly table, ignoring the murmurs of the other customers. When he finally settled down on a seat, he realized that it was already occupied. There was a purse left on the chair next to him, and before he could even leave, the owner was already standing by his side.

Her hair was caught up in a side bun, some teal locks fell loose messily on her shoulder. She was wearing a black dress that evening, a tight one which hugged her body in right places. He couldn't tear his eyes off her, she was stunning. The way her eyes widened in surprise, the coy look on her face as she looked around as though finding a different table — Len was instantly attracted with her. What he liked about her the most was her pretty nose turning pink against her dead white complexion. He guessed it was just the normal shade of her skin. Stunning Caucasian. However, her eyes were somewhat red, too. _Must have cried?_

Len stopped gaping when she finally spoke, asking bashfully to hand her purse back. The blond just smiled at her—she blushed, he noticed—and apologized for intruding her table. She laughed it off—oh, her laughter sounded sweet—saying, she wasn't waiting for someone anyway. Len was delighted to hear that and proposed if they could share the table then. The night went on smoothly, Len treating the beautiful stranger with a good dinner.

That dinner was followed by countless dates. By the end of the year, Len introduced the girl to his family. His girlfriend, Hatsune Miku, was liked by his family and close friends. She was a sweet talker, her sense of humor captured his parents well. His older sister liked her just as much, and he knew nothing could go wrong.

Miku was working as an editorial staff in a popular magazine. Her office was three buildings away from the company where Len was working, so they decided to live together. She stayed in Len's house as if she was his wife and treated him like a husband too. They were so in love—he was—and it could be seen through how they would look at each other with such fondness.

They started each other's mornings with kisses and pancakes, and kissed each other good night. He would drop Miku to her office (this was when he finally got a car of his own) and pick her up when she was out. They had been into different places, they had done things a husband and wife would do. Like most of the couples in the world thought of, they dreamt of living the rest of their lives together. For six years, nothing had gone wrong.

Like other couples, they always had a fight. Miku was getting tired with how their relationship was going. Ever since Len was promoted in his job, they got lesser time to spend to themselves. He even brought his job home. Len proposed marriage to her that evening, amid Miku's raging tirade, only to make the girl cry harder.

 _It wasn't as easy as that,_ she told him in between her sobs. If Len couldn't find time for both of them _now_ , what would she expect in the future? So, her answer was _no._ It wasn't a breakup but she obviously turned down his proposal. Len didn't react about this anymore, he just gave her a downcast gaze. He had work waiting. Leaving the ring on their nightstand, he left his girlfriend crying in their room.

The cold war continued for as long as he could remember. She continued to fix his tie and pick his clothes. He dropped her in the office and picked her up. Nothing broke their cold silence, and none of them tried to. The next thing Len knew, he was riding his car _alone_. He was eating breakfast _alone._ The bed was all to _himself._ Miku left him with a note, two years ago.

 _I love you, but this is killing me._ — was all that she said. Perhaps it was a goodbye. He loved her—he _loves_ her—but he couldn't bring himself to mope so much about this loss. Work, he still got one. It was demanding time. Len didn't know if he'd call her and ask her back, he wanted to. But he knew that he told her about his feelings more than a million times if possible, and he had his word. His feelings wouldn't change. If she would remember it, she'd come back. He said enough. That's enough.

He sent her a text message in reply. _I love you._ But maybe she thought his words had lost their meaning already.

She never came back.

Len pulled over the lot. He could see the familiar warm lights refracted by the chandeliers and the cozy wooden chairs and tables. Two years had passed since the last time he went here, knowing that this place would only plague his heart with regret after letting her go. He still loves her—he was such a bad liar if he would try telling himself that he didn't love her anymore. He tried to believe that, he just told himself before leaving the house, but this place made him feel the warm fluttering sensation in his stomach. _No good._

 _Once_ again, he pushed his way inside the restaurant. The scent of the air changed, but it was still warm. The soft murmurs of the people dining in were still there, though this time it was louder. And the staffs were busier. Len walked forward and saw her seated on the same table where they first met, hair fixed neatly in a tight bun. She was clad in a simple white dress, her skin still pale as porcelain jar. Her eyes were focused on her phone while sipping on her glass of juice. Len was sure that Miku was not nervous meeting him at all.

"Hey," he pulled a seat in front of her. Her nose was still pink—she was always like this whenever it was cold—he noticed. A smile forced its way on his lips.

Miku smiled, "You look good today, as always. I miss you."

He chuckled. He wouldn't reply at that, though. If they were still together, he'd give her lips a lingering kiss. God, he still loved her.

"I have a news though," she started, raising a hand to signal the waiter to hand her pre-ordered meal. "I'm getting married, Len."

His smile remained. _I heard of it already,_ he wanted to tell her. "Congratulations."

It was pointless anyway, if he'd tell her how he felt for all these years. And the ring he wished to give to her again, remained in his pocket.

As he stared at her in the eyes, he wanted to know—he needed an honest answer. _Have you forgotten what I told you? My feelings will never change._

But as he saw her face soften, as she let out a sigh, he knew she was delighted that he didn't say anything about it. Was she expecting him to object? If he would hear it from her, he could. He would. If Miku wanted for him to take her back again, just say so.

His left hand remained in his pocket, almost crushing the box of their supposed engagement ring.

He was fine.

Len just wanted to know...if she had forgotten his promise. That's all.

* * *

 **tumblr au: "so I know we haven't talked in like, two years, and that things ended pretty badly between us** _ **but what the fuck do you mean**_ **you're engaged to be married"**

* * *

 **a/n: wow, failed. lol so lousy. idk if i should continue this lol. now i got a prompt so let's see what will the next story be. (i freaking want to write a daddy len wtf)**

 **REQUEST BOX IS OPEN!**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 _-ivan._


	5. Thunderbolt

_**Thunderbolt**_

* * *

"How dare they cast me out of my mistress' temple," Miku muttered as she pulled her hood over her head. Shadows hid her pretty face, shielding her clear blue eyes away from the bright sun. Standing outside the inner walls of a kingdom she never had been to, the brave huntress found herself impatiently waiting for the sturdy gates to open. Heck, she had been waiting for an entire week just to see the gates open. However it wouldn't be so surprising if this kingdom was warned about the _Thunderbolt._ Hence the door was kept shut.

The whole continent governed by seven different kingdoms must have heard of the great thief, _Thunderbolt,_ who was tasked by the priestess from Delphi to search for a lost witchcraft Artemis once owned. Such item was so sacred to the said goddess, she assigned the task of retrieving it to one of her favorites. Whoever that favorite is, nobody actually knows. The great rulers of the kingdoms believed that the lost item was very important to the goddess to such extent that she asked her brother, Apollo, to send an oracle telling the _need_ to bring her thing back. Artemis rarely talked to the sun-god for his wit was something the maiden-goddess couldn't bear. She even accused the sun-god to harbour feelings for the late Hyacinth, had he not been struck severely on his head that day on a meadow.

So how Miku came to bear the name _Thunderbolt?_ It began like this:

When such oracle was released, Miku was the unluckiest person. She was playing in the wild that morning with her bow and arrow when she heard a faint voice of a woman to beckon her. Miku was guided by a stag until she came face to face with a priestess from Delphi, telling her that Artemis had asked her to run an errand. Hence, Miku had been searching for her mistress' lost silver arrow to hand it back.

Miku willingly took the job, turning around to begin the task. But as she walked away from the priestess, she couldn't help but wonder _how_ Artemis lost a silver arrow. A goddess of hunt would never _ever_ shoot randomly, would she? And how could she miss a target, anyway? Neverthelss, the big question was: why was the goddess eager to have it back?

Amid her musing popped a very beautiful stag which transformed itself to a human form. Miku, surprised to see _who_ was standing in front her, gaped. Artemis showed up before the young huntress, her short bob hair fluttered away from her face. The short hunting robe was perfectly draped on her lean body, and her scowl, eternal.

"I wouldn't blame you for having a bunch of questions," the goddess said, tucking a wisp of her brown hair behind an ear. "Indeed, it was impossible for the goddess of hunt to lose an arrow. A magical, powerful one at that. I could only scold Eros for stealing one of it. Had I known Love such way before, stubborn and mischievous, I wouldn't let him step inside my quarters. Young maiden, he thought it could make people fall in love."

The fair, young huntress forgot how to talk as her mistress stood under the foliage filtering the sunlight. Miku bowed her head, eyes blinking to beg the goddess to continue. "Eros, the stupid god he was, took it away from me and shot it to a beast. Aphrodite was jealous with some nymph that day, so she asked her son to shoot an arrow to the nymph and make her love some random boar. But the young god took my arrow that morning and shot it to a hog, only to miss."

"Pray tell me, goddess. Why the urgency to have your silver arrow back?" asked the huntress. Miku automatically received a glare from the defiant goddess.

"It has powers, what else? Though nobody could ever know how to unleash that from my arrow, it's better to be safe than sorry. After all, humans are too ambitious. So go forth, my hundress. Bring it back, and you shall be rewarded." Artemis disappeared in a blink of an eye.

So here she was now, out travelling from kingdom to kingdom in search of the silver arrow. _Thunderbolt,_ she was called because of her swiftness and prowess. Multiple times she was almost taken down by the warriors of the land, but she would always find a way to escape. Miku destroyed countless throne rooms to find the arrow, after another oracle told her that it was in a king's care. Whoever the king was, she had no clue. With that she set forth, troubling the kingdoms next on her list to get back what was rightfully her mistress' property.

Among all her sojourn, she hated the sixth kingdom the most. Not only did they threw her out of the temple, but also deprived her of kindness to feed her starving stomach. This unpleasant experience was repeated when she reached the last kingdom. She had been in the outer wall, where temples were. And once again, she was casted away from it. Annoyed, she decided to get in her job right away. However, today marked the seventh day of waiting. This kingdom had the silver arrow for sure.

Miku walked near the gates; the merchants loud barters resonated as she passed by. There was a rumour that they would open the gates later, for aristocrats living in the inner wall had a shortage in their food supply. _Entertaining_ , thought Miku, _for separating rich people from commoners._ The huntress continued to survey the gate, less suspicious from the eyes of the guards. Not that they paid her so much attention. There was a crowd waiting for the gates to open, wanting to get inside and do their business. Their complaints were nothing but air for the guards of the gates.

Walking to a corner where an old man had his items laid on a earth-colored cloth, Miku pretended that she was interested to buy something. The things placed before her feet were surely stolen by thieves; the golden bracelet adorned with moon and stars included. Picking up the said item, she purchased it. Such thing reminded her so much of her mistress, or maybe in fact, it was made in honour of the maiden goddess. Miku put it on her hand whilst examining the jewelry. Artemis' love of freedom and wild and hunt were drawn on the thin metal.

Miku was distracted from her using when she heard someone announcing that a wagon was coming. The huntress knew it wasn't just a wagon; it was a carriage led by a mighty warrior mounted on a horse.

"Clear the road!" yelled the soldiers from the gate, pushing the merchants and their wagons aqay from the pavement. "The knight has come how! Worry not for _Thunderbolt!"_

Miku scowled as the said _mighty knight_ hopped down from his horse. Wasn't his face too beautiful to be a knight? It would be a shame if she would finish him off should he hinder her work. But the call of duty first before aesthetics. Really.

* * *

 **request: knight/thief au.**


	6. long-distance relationship

**long-distance relationship**

* * *

It was Len's twenty-seventh birthday.

Frowning at some TV commercial that had just flashed, he gripped the remote tightly. Why was he forced to sit here and watch some superhero cartoon show? He was done with this phase long, long ago. Gone were the days that he'd wear red capes and draw out a plastic sword. He experienced chasing his neighbors while in his superman costume, telling that they should surrender. Rescuing damsels in distress, _oh,_ he was over that, too. Len would free his dog to chase the girl he liked, and then he would help her by dragging his own dog away. In the end, the girl he liked disliked him more. She hated him more than his dog. _Whatever._ The thing here was: "childhood" was done for Len Kagamine. Why? Go back to the first sentence.

Adults would never celebrate their birthday watching a cartoon show. He was supposed to be having the day of his life, drinking beer and partying. But of course, that wasn't Len. _Partying?_ Psh, so mainstream. He'd rather face his computer and do his work. Nevertheless he never meant that he wished to spend all day sitting here (watching cartoons), though. Now, why was he here again?

Oh, right. He was waiting for a five-year-old boy to come out of his room.

The blond man furrowed his brows. No, it was taking _him_ so long. What on earth was that kid doing in his room? When that cunning little blond asked him if they would leave the house at exactly eight in the morning, that kid had planned everything. Len should have seen this coming. He was supposed to see it! The kid was so antsy last night; he even pushed him out of his room when he tried to kiss the boy good night. " _I am a big man,_ " said the tiny blond with a tall pride. " _Goodnight kisses are for losers,"_ added the boy. Losers, huh? Len smirked.

The flashy colors on the screen faded into black as his thumb pressed the switch button. Heaving a sigh, Len calmed himself down. Nero was just a kid. He didn't mean to ruin this day (yet), for sure. Well, Len wished that the boy really did not plan this all out. Again, Nero was just a boy. This kind of behavior was expected from a kid of his age, right? Hell, Len's mom said that she'd seen worse. But still...

"Are you still there?" a little voice yelled from upstairs, loud stomps echoed after.

Len tilted his head up as though he could see the boy from the top-stair. It was empty but Nero's squeaky voice still talked. The impatient blond lifted his wrist to check the time, and yes, they would have to leave after five minutes.

"Nero, come down now. We'll be late."

Soon enough, the boy's footsteps thudded against the wooden floor. A boy came running downstairs with his bright blond hair bouncing at every step. He had a cheeky smile on, a really cute smile that could magically melt Len's irritation as though it was a candle to an ice. Len did not stand from his seat, and instead he waited until the boy slumped next to him. _Damn those flushing cheeks,_ the man told himself. This boy reminded him so much of _her._ Nero was her girl version, Len admitted.

"Are you mad?" Nero asked, crawling towards the scowling man. Grabbing Len's face, he whispered, "I did something really important so...I was stuck _there._ "

Len just arched a brow. It was very uncharacteristic of Nero to apologize. Whenever he would say the word _'sorry',_ Len felt like he shouldn't believe what the kid would say next. This boy was a menace most of the times. He must be up to something again. Right now Len's face was being squeezed by Nero's tiny hands. Didn't he say he was sorry a few seconds ago? Was this a new form of tormenting?

"Okay, let my face go."

"No!" whined the kid, puckering his lips. Len cursed himself. Sure, Nero was cute but that wouldn't change the fact that he was annoying. "I'm going to tell you so-something."

"Spill. Hurry up. We have to drive, you know." Len rolled his eyes. His hand patted the boy's head. "It's an important appointment. We can't be late."

Nero held him up for a good half minute while making fun of his face. He stretched Len's cheeks, poked his nose and even tried to put his thumb in Len's nostrils. But when the older guy told him that they should go now, Nero told him the secret. "I just pooped and I forgot to wash my hands."

Nero hopped down of the couch and ran away from the vexed Len. His giggling echoed inside the house even though he was already on the lot. Len just rolled his eyes, knowing that the kid was joking. He was raised better than that. Len stood and grabbed his keys calmly. When the door was locked behind him, he walked to the car. The boy was already in the passenger's seat.

"Hurry up, dad! We'll be late! Walk faster! Hurry!"

Smiling, Len went straight to the driver's seat and started the engine.

For the first ten minutes of the drive, Len's son was sitting well-behaved behind while humming the soundtrack of his favorite cartoon show. After another ten minutes when they left the town premises, the kid had his face pressed against the window as he stared at the wide green fields in awe. The stalks of glades bowed as they passed by. Nero told some story his teacher read last Monday and Len listened to him. The father interjected some questions about such fable, wondering how did the turtle defeat the bunny from a race.

"The bunny...l-lost the race be-because he walked as slow as you did earlier," the boy wipped his head to Len's direction. "You're the bunny, dad. Bunny dad."

"A handsome bunny, am I not?"

The kid just made some gross noise of disagreement. Thirty minutes passed and Nero was lying prone on the cushion, bored to the core. He had sung all nursery rhymes he learned, told the wonderful stories he could remember from his school. The boy complained about the ride, his patience too short for today's trip. The father apologized about their somewhat long drive, but was interrupted when the boy begged for him to tell a story instead.

"What story? I don't know a good one," replied Len anxiously, recalling the plot of some good action movie he watched days ago. Would Nero like the _Transformers?_

"Tell me something about...about...about m-mom," the boy stood behind Len's seat, wrapping his arms around his dad's forehead. "Come on, dad. I want to hear how you met."

"I told you that already,"

"I can't remember. Come on, dad..."

Sighing, Len agreed.

Len met his wife when he was nine. The sun was warm and bright that morning of spring. Everything was green and lovely in the Kagamine's lawn. His mother loved planting flowering plants, and that morning he was asked to water them. That morning too he met the girl who would be his wife fourteen years later.

She had the prettiest hair; it had the color of the summer skies. Her smile was equally charming like her face. Len instantly fell in love with the new girl in the neighborhood. Her name was Miku, nine years old too. She told him that he got nice flowers there. Though Len didn't like flowers a lot, he just laughed it off. He invited her over so they could water them together.

Miku loved white and pink peonies. They were outrageously beautiful during spring, she said. Together, they look after the flowers Len's mother took care of.

In their garden he first met his wife. They were young and innocent back those days. Len suddenly missed the good old days.

It was easy for Len and Miku to become best of friends as they grew older. From the meaningless holding hands, it was easy for them to hold each other romantically. When puberty hit them and hormones kicked in, they became an item. Their story was filled with peonies and good tales. College ended soon, but their story _would never_ end.

"That was all, Nero." Len turned down a path where willows lined up. "You can tell what happened next."

"No, dad. I can't." The boy was now sitting next to his father, arms crossed against his chest. "What happened next?"

"Well," Len shrugged, eyes still on the road. "An annoying cute boy was born and his name was Nero. The end."

The boy whined again, his brows drew together. His flushing cheeks were puffed as he waited for his dad to tell him the _part_ of the story he would always leave out.

"Say it this time, dad. What happened next? Where is mom?"

The father remained quiet for a moment, trying to organize his thoughts. Kids were naturally curious, weren't they? What a pain...

"Didn't you say you were in a _long-distance dictatorship?"_ Nero yelled at his dad. Well, he got one word incorrectly there.

"It's a _long-distance relationship,_ Nero. Dictatorship is a different thing."

"But I don't understand what's that, dad."

"Well," scratching the back of his head, Len smiled awkwardly. "It is...what it is. Yeah."

How was Len supposed to explain things to his own child? Actually there was no need to explain because he was truly in a long-distance relationship with the love of his life...

...with him _here_ and Miku in heaven.

Today, they would go to visit her grave.

* * *

 **a/n: sorry. this is so boring. well, well..well. advance happy valentine's day. this isn't the daddy Len I wanted to write but...**


	7. EDEN part II

**EDEN**

\- Part II -

* * *

"My Lord, this is where my service ends." Miriam stood before the members of the House of Aurum, the three youngsters with golden hair and bright blue eyes. She held the door of the mansion open for them, revealing the grand interiors of the said House. It was the same house used by the former king, had he not been slain by the other participants of the selection.

Len narrowed his eyes at the glossy, checkered tiles. He had been to houses of nobles before, but the mansion owned by the House of Aurum was the grandest of them all. It wasn't surprising though, this used to be the residence of the past rulers. His bright blue eyes looked over his shoulder to see his cousin's reaction, and he saw that Rinto was also in awe. It turned out that only Rin was loud enough to express admiration. She was gaping with bliss overwhelming her face. Then his gaze shifted from his sister to the said caretaker. Miriam was certainly a noble, but she acted rather too subservient to be one. So this was what loyalty could do, huh? Transform nobles to act like housemaids? If he'd be the king, would his subordinates do the same.

 _No, of course._ The last king was put to death by his own people – or rivals to the throne. In this game of survival, Len couldn't trust no one. Not even himself.

"I wonder why does it end, Miriam?" Len pushed Rin's wheelchair forward to the huge wooden doors Miriam held open for them. Rinto quietly walked after Len, casting fleeting gazes as they entered. It was such a gallant house of shining ivory and golden tapestries. No wonder why this was called the House of Aurum.

Len noticed that the woman did not walk in after them. She remained standing on the doorway with the keys on her hand and her smile not fading. When the blond glowered at her unresponsiveness, the woman bowed her head. He wasn't sure what her bow meant–it was making him uncomfortable.

"My daughter would be participating in the selection. It was a rule set by the _consejo de rigueur_ that if a member of the family joins the selection, the family in-charge of the House would have to withdraw from their jobs of maintaining the place." The woman turned aside as though she was signalling someone to come in. Or perhaps, she really was. Soon stepped in between the wide opened doors a lady around Len and Rinto's age. Her long teal hair fell a few inches above her waist. Her sea-green eyes were so vivid and empty. Lips pursed together in a thin line, she stood wordlessly beside Miriam. "This is my daughter, Miku Unschuld. Expect loyalty from us, my lord. Unschuld was one of the founding fathers of the House of Aurum."

The girl bowed her head before them. Miriam urged the girl so-called Miku to walk inside, her whispers of _'take care'_ followed the silent lady. Len watched the two closely, trying to decipher if it was sincerity he could see and hear from Lady Miriam. In this selection he couldn't trust anyone, he reminded himself, not even the people who openly swore their faithfulness to him. The door closed before her, golden rays of light faded away. With a loud click, the last member of the House of Aurum was locked inside with the three Summers.

They studied each other with an immense silence. Hostile glares were all Len could give her, but she remained calm under his fiery glower. She was unaffected by the same look Rinto was giving her, supposing that every first meetings would always work this way. First impression and bullshit. How tiring. The blonde girl who had a delighted face seeing her.

"You have me as your sword, sires. Do not fear," Miku spoke in a flat tone. "I will clear the way for whosoever this House chooses to be the king."

"My lady, we do not wish to succeed the throne," Len started to push Rin's chair away from the new girl. It was such a silly introduction to declare her intentions of winning the throne for their House. He only wished to get his sister out of this mess. If showing disinterest towards the throne meant their safety, he would willingly give up his claim. "Do as you wish."

Rinto watched his cousin leave. It was very cold of Len to treat a member of the House that way, but he couldn't blame the guy otherwise. When the ceremony started at St. Elmo's Church, the first borne of the primary house of Summers had put on his apathetic mask. Len was emanating an icy aura just to show the other Houses that he wasn't a coward. Even Rinto feared how deadly Len's eyes were as he looked ahead while walking on the aisle. There were only three members of the House of Aurum who had attended the ceremony, while the other houses had all the four.

Rinto was seated behind the House of Rouge, the redhead people. Their tenet, _strength._ Them being the bullies of the Aurum would be an understatement. They were laughing when the two Summers walked in, and Rinto heard how the eldest son – Mikio Fort – claimed the victory of their House. Aurum didn't look as wise as their tenet, said the arrogant ginger-head.

Rinto didn't miss how the House of Noir smirked when their eyes gazed on the invalid girl. Their ebony black hair were as dark as their silence. Rinto thought as much; he had predicted that when other Houses saw Rin, they would alienate the Summers. Nevertheless the House of Weiss was the kindest among the contestants of the selection. The white-haired people never looked at the Summers. At least through that Rinto hadn't heard any declarations of superiority against the House of Aurum. Though silence spoke for the Weiss.

He heaved a sigh as Len turned down a corridor. It was just him and the last member of the House who did not show up during the ceremony. Now thinking of that, what could be the reason? Turning around, Rinto faced the teal-haired girl. She was obviously the strangest among all because of her unique hair. Weird though it was, the House of Aurum would be the apple of the selection's eyes. All houses had one thing in common, each had a unique color on them. The House of Rouge was composed of redheads; House of Weiss, the bleak-haired; House of Noir, the dark-haired; and supposedly Aurum, the blonds. But seeing the missing fourth member with teal hair, well...never mind the colors. Rinto would try to convince himself that _Aurum_ wasn't the House's name because of the prominent golden hair.

"Good day, my lady. What is your name again?" Rinto bowed to her and smiled when he rose. She had the stoic expression, apathetic like Len's pretense, as her cold stare seemed to pierce through him.

"Miku Unschuld, sire. And you are?"

What an icy voice, he thought to himself. "I am Rinto Summers. Len and Rin's cousin. Those two were from the lineage of the king. So basically I am here to clear the path for them, too. I hope we will get along really well, Lady Unschuld."

Miku nodded. "We have no choice but to get along, sire. But that account aside, I just wish Len Summers will change his mind about his claim to the throne. After all this house was supposed to rule a century ago. The privilege must remain here because the throne was vacated unexpectedly."

Rinto smiled, satisfied to hear that this girl was siding him. He wanted Len to be the king too; it was only Len who didn't want to. "Now I understand why most Houses are hostile towards us. May I ask why you share that view, though? That Len must be the king?"

" _Most_ Houses? Aren't they _all_?" Miku walked towards the grand staircase before them, her heels thudded at every step. She had seen so much for her age, had learned the part of history kept secret from today's generation. Now a youth of the rightful House was asking why she wished Aurum to rule _Adheres_? There could only be one reason: "The victory has been ours ever since, Sir Rinto. So be wary of the other families. I promise you that I will make this House win. My upbringing is solely for the purpose of annihilating people who'd try to hinder our way."

The selection of Eden was a bloody game for all Houses that claim the throne. While the _consejo de rigueur_ hadn't issued the task yet, she would do her best to train Rinto and Len into battle and train the other girl into using her wisdom. Sooner or later someone would start the hunt, and it would be a miracle if the _consejo_ 's goal of making this selection less savage would succeed. But until then, Miku wouldn't let her guard down. The House of Aurum should rule Adheres, that was all that mattered right now.

Above everything else, no one but this House should know the gift of Eden.


	8. Rock and Roll

**Rock and Roll**

* * *

Gumi might not be the _nicest_ friend one could ask for, but she was actually the best friend Miku had. The green-haired girl was notorious for her profanity, swearing here and there as though it was her way of _"pausing"._ See? Not the _nicest._

"I can't believe that out of all of my fucking friends, you fucked up the worst. Seriously, Miku," Gumi leaned forward the sullen girl who was stirring her cup of hot choco.

The girl on the hot seat shrugged. Yes, Gumi was her best friend, the most trustworthy at that, and sometimes she could be unnerving. Just like now.

Looking up, Miku met her friend's scrutinizing eyes. "Like what I anticipated, you'd say that. Now, are you coming with me in Hastings or not?"

"No," Gumi chuckled, pushing herself away from the countertop. "You can't ignore this shit. I mean, deal with me first before you look for that ass who got you."

"And no," Miku said, rolling her eyes. Typical Gumi like what she thought. "I know what you're gonna say. Listening to you will be suicide."

Miku rose from her seat and downed the content of her mug that has cooled down while she told Gumi the whole story. She had predicted how her confession would turn out, and everything went the way she thought it would. Gumi was not delighted with her news. In reality, no one would be.

Today was just one of the days when she craved badly for anything chocolate. Seeing the mug empty, she walked to the sink and began to wash it. Her craving for today was now satisfied. In case her body yearned for the same flavour again, she had a stock of chocolates in the fridge. You know, better late than sorry.

Rinsing the soapsuds on her hands, Miku walked away from the kitchen whilst ignoring Gumi's protests. Their argument wouldn't end for sure, so why start argue?

"Miku, you don't walkout while I do the talking here. This is just the worst thing you've fucking done," Gumi hopped down from her seat and trailed behind Miku, who was still pretending that her best friend wasn't nagging. "Have you no fucking mind? Why did you do it in the first place? Hey lady, look at me."

Miku was yanked back by the arm, forced to look at her best friend in the eyes. There was rage, concern and sincerity surfacing in those irises. It was a fit of honest and harsh scolding only friends could give. Sighing, Miku relaxed under her hold. She had no parents to scold her for saying this news, so she might as well listen to the only family she had.

"I was...out of my mind. Tipsy," closing her eyes to recall how things happened in Hastings, Miku continued. "I think the two of us were. Then it happened. Yeah, I have no brain. I'm sorry."

Gumi pulled Miku close and gave her a hug. Her hand patted the girl's back, soft strokes like a mother's. "Don't be sorry. What is done is done. I just can't believe how you ended that fucked up."

"Yeah," Miku returned the hug. "Thanks, Gumi. You're really great. So are you coming with me in Hastings or nah?"

"You bet."

Gumi and Miku were orphans who grew up together in the orphanage, of course. When they reached eighteen and no couples took them in, the nuns sent them out with a little amount of money enough to start a living. The two went from town to town, homeless and clueless how to survive everyday. Nevertheless they managed, and here they were in their mid-20's. Gumi and Miku were wedding organisers now.

Everything was doing well until a month ago. Miku attended her client's wedding in Hastings last month, where the worst thing she could have done happened. It was a perfect day according to the bride, and the groom thanked her for the wonderful effort she gave to organise everything that well. During the reception she sat aloof at the bar, watching how people's merrymaking. She suddenly realised the pang in her chest, a desire she wished to keep a secret forever. Being an orphan she knew how hard it was to live without any parents looking after you. She and Gumi believed that one day, they would have families of their own, and they would never let their children feel the misery of being _no one_ get into them.

The distant look she was giving the newlyweds didn't go unnoticed by the bartender. The blue-haired dude tried talking to her, tried to squeeze any information out of her, but her lips remained sealed. Giving up, he just served her drinks she asked for. That was until blue-haired dude came back with a friend. She recognised the guy with black hair, he was the band vocalist the groom asked to play for them. He was a personal friend of the groom.

Miku couldn't forget how his blue eyes looked at her; how his milky white skin dusted pink when he looked her way. The blue-haired dude pushed him to her stall, and they ended up chatting. Yeah, just chatting. Until that jerk - aka bartender - gave them alcoholic drinks. At first she and the guy protested, but the bartender smiled and told them it was nothing strong.

Yes, it wasn't _that_ strong. She and guy _just_ woke up on the same bed the next morning, really. Naked.

Miku almost went hysterical that moment. Of course, she grew up with a nun's care. What had happened was just banal. It was against her upbringing. The guy sympathized her, he, too, was nice to be a pop-rock singer. He said he'd take the responsibility if ever _something..._ ugh, developed. Whatever. He was a nice guy, actually. When he talked to her, he seemed to have no ulterior motives unlike the blue-haired dude. That one was obviously hitting on her.

She left Hastings with the newlyweds satisfied, leaving the guy she slept with there too.

Miku kept this from Gumi. It would only ignite a horrible argument between them, so she would tell her in time. That time, though, came quickly when she learned that she was pregnant for a month already. Oh, what a turn of events. Now, she'd go back to Hastings and find that guy–too nice to be a rock star. Not that rock stars weren't nice, okay. He was...too soft, you know. It didn't help that she was now a mother of someone's child.

Right away, Gumi and Miku packed their things. From Seaford to Hastings, they traveled. Soon they reached the place, the familiar forts came into view. It smelled like the ancient, history was evident anywhere. The two didn't wait for another second, they went to the place where Miku first talked to the band.

"Miku?"

The two hadn't knocked on the door of the flat yet when a voice called out. Stirring, Gumi and Miku looked around and saw a tall guy whose black hair was pulled back. He had his shopping bag craddled in front. He was gawking at the girls, perhaps surprised to see the lady on his door.

Blue-eyed and black haired, yes. Just like what Miku told in her stories. A beautiful guy, indeed. A little soft-spoken to be a rock star? Confirmed. Gumi rushed to guy and pulled him by the collar. She'd give him a good beating.

"You got the spine to call her by her name, you fucking bastard! What do you say, huh?" Gumi shook him with all her might, making the guy fumble backwards.

"Wha–I don't know what you're saying!" His shopping fell on the ground, cans of goods scattered on the cement floor. How nice of a visitor he had.

Miku, displeased with how things work out by now, rushed to Gumi and pulled the girl away from the guy. "Calm down, Gumi! Why not let me talk first?" The girl just gave her a nasty look, mouthing her to shut up.

Then the guy. She flashed him an apologetic smile. "Hey, Len. Sorry for that...ruckus. By the way, she's my friend, Gumi. Gumi, this is Len, the band singer."

Fixing his creased shirt, he ran a hand through his dark locks. "It's okay. I guess I was mistaken as a bad guy–which I wasn't. Now what do we have here? It's nice to see you again."

"I think I'm not mistaken," inserted Gumi. "Because boy, you got my best friend–"

Miku covered Gumi's mouth with a hand before she could say a word. Some things were better talked about in private, honestly. "Can we talk for a moment? Somewhere? The two of us alone?"

Nodding, he crouched down to gather his things scattered on the ground then led the girls inside his flat. His band mates were inside, arguing about a certain song they were working out. Miku saw the blue-haired bartender there, and surprisingly he was also a part of the band. He was one of the composers and mixers, said Len. Leaving Gumi in their care, Len and Miku went to his room and talked about the _matter_.

She saw his shoulders relaxed when he locked the door before them. It was as if he knew why she was here. He was tensed all the while, she knew. When his hand dropped to his side from gripping the knob, he instantly turned and wrapped his arms on her frame. Now, it's her turn to freeze with the sudden intimacy.

"H-hey, are you okay?" she awkwardly patted his back, quite unsure how things like this was done. Well, she had never had a boyfriend before. Moreover, Len wasn't a friend at all. He was just a mere acquaintance she made over a night. Literally.

" _It_ 's there, isn't it?" he asked, resting his forehead on her shoulder. Given their height difference, it was a pain in the back for him. "That's why you're here, aren't you?"

"Yes," she replied like a sigh. "I'm...I'm gonna be your child's mother. Sorry. You know, I just came here to tell you. You don't have to marry me or anything. I just want to tell that in case you're thinking of abortion, I'm not into it. I'll be glad if you'll help raising the child, but if you aren't –"

"It's okay." He laughed, pulling away from her. "Though parenthood came to me unexpectedly, it should be fine. After all, we did the _thing._ What to expect?"

She shrugged. That was a bit harsh, no? Like he really had no choice.

"And I think you'll make a pretty wife," Len smiled at her, tracing a finger at the side of her face. "I hope you wouldn't mind if I get to know my child's mom first?"

She studied the serene look he was giving her right now. His blue eyes were so calm underneath those black fringe. He was a pretty guy. He sounded like a gentleman too. There should be no problem, right?

Right.


	9. Rock and Roll part II

**Rock and Roll**

\- Part II -

* * *

Oliver flashed a smile as he entered Miku and Gumi's flat. Walking after the blond was the silly Kaito, the bartender Miku hated the most. While Gumi received them well, the teal-haired pissed off girl was glaring at them from the counter.

Miku and Gumi's place was really small. It had enough space to receive a few visitors, but it never meant Miku wished to see these two. Well, she'd rather receive anyone but these two and Len. Rolling her eyes, she forcefully brought the glass of water down on the sink and stomped her way to her room. She even slammed the door to make the two guys feel unwelcome.

Smiles wiped off from their faces, Kaito and Oliver exchanged inquisitive looks. Miku did that on purpose, no?

"Did you tell her we'll be coming today?" Kaito turned to face Gumi, pushing a wisp of his midnight blue hair away from his eyes. "That's kinda cold for a greeting. Tell her."

Shrugging, Gumi said, "You know she'll kick you out if I do that. So no." She tapped Oliver's shoulder and waved a hand, leaving Kaito behind. "Nice to see you again, _twisted tongue._ Did your cousin know you're here?"

"He doesn't," Oliver smiled. "He doesn't have to. I'm here because I want. I will visit Miku whenever I feel to, Gumi."

"It seems so," standing up straight, she stretched her arms. "But sadly, your lady's not in the mood to talk today...and tomorrow...and for the next day."

Gumi went straight to the kitchen to prepare something for the visitors. Since it was such a small space, Kaito and Oliver could still see her as she rummaged the fridge to find something. The guys tried convincing her that there was no need to busy herself, but Gumi insisted that this would be a rare opportunity for them to witness her hospitality. Next time they come, they'd help themselves.

Kaito and Oliver walked up to the counter and watched the girl as she poured the contents of the cookie bag on the bowl. Gumi said it was all she got. They just giggled and urged her to continue whatever she was trying to do.

Giving them a brief smile, Gumi turned around to grab some drinks. Miku wouldn't face the guys. She told the motherly-Gumi that she would never see anyone coming from Hastings until the day she gave birth to her kid. True enough, she had refused Len's attempt of wooing her and now she was on her ninth month.

Gumi, Kaito and Oliver met each other when Miku went back to Hastings, nine months ago. Kaito and Oliver were Len's friends from the band, with Kaito as a mixer and lyricist and Oliver on drums. All members of the bands actually liked Miku, and they were all delighted when they learned that Len would be a father soon. Oliver was the happiest person when Len made that announcement, literally hopping here and there as he held Miku's hand.

Oliver Cody was Len's cousin in his mother's side. He was only nineteen, barely out of high school, whose talents would soon bring him into fame. His voice was actually nice, sometimes he would sing with Len during some of their gig. They were like brothers, so the boy was concerned with his personal affairs. He had met a few of his former girlfriends, but he didn't liked any of them. Once there was one he almost approved, however when he got to know her, Oliver changed his mind.

 _Beautiful outside. Rotten inside._ The blond teenager advised Len to find someone with a better personality rather than bringing home witches. Len was a magnet for witches, Oliver said. So when he talked to Miku for Gakupo's wedding, he instantly liked her. If only their age gap was a little closer, he might have taken a move on her. In fact, he had a little crush on her. _Pretty face_ and _pretty heart,_ these were Oliver's "ideal wife" starter pack.

During Miku and Gumi's short stay in the borough, they had befriended Oliver the easiest. He was approachable and funny, and Gumi found him cute when talking. The green-haired woman told her friend that it was like he was twisting his tongue or pulling it back. Miku just sighed and told her that she was just speaking the same.

"The boy's from Yorkshire," Gumi protested. "I can hear him talk in his mother tongue. It's cute."

"Yeah and I'm in front of you?" Oliver grinned, unsure how to feel with Gumi's statement.

He got to know Miku more and Gumi, too. Oliver gave them a tour in their place, showed the historical sights full of aesthetics. When the girls left, he almost went off with them. Had his mother not called that day, he might have been in Seaford until the school break was over.

The blond teenager would come with Len to visit the lady every month, but a few months ago, something changed. Miku shut the door on their faces. Oliver didn't know what happened between her and Len, but he wished he wasn't included with her cold and silent treatment.

"I think 'twas weird to see Miku like that," said Oliver, leaning his cheek to his palm. His amber eyes had the most distant look as if they were lost in his thoughts. Gumi was still preparing the drinks. "She almost cracked the wall. What's up wi' her?"

"That I don't know." Kaito mirrored Oliver's pose, eyes fixated on the dull red bowl of cookies Gumi placed before them. A moment later, she came back carrying two glasses and bottle of soda.

"Hey, Gumi. Do you know why Miku refuses to see Len until today? She's due in a week." Oliver picked up a cookie and munched on it. "It would be nice if Len's gonna see his babe, you know. Won't you tell her that?"

"It is their problem, not mine. Not yours, either. They're mature enough to handle their own problems, Oliver."

The blond sighed. "Well, I haven't seen any progress between the two for the past months. They won't reconcile, it seems. That saddens me. I really like Miku for my cousin."

"I thought you like Miku for yourself," Kaito raised a brow, suggesting something, as he drank a little from his glass. With this, Gumi laughed. Everyone knew that Oliver liked the girl, even Miku herself.

"Yeah," Oliver rolled his eyes. "Sure, whatever you say. Just wanna remind you that we came here to help them get back together, Kaito."

"Yes, and they're not an official item at that. I don't know what's the point of going here," the silly bartender beamed at their host. "Len got no spine to go here himself. Silly, isn't he?"

"Stupid jerk, yes," Gumi claimed the seat next to Oliver and stared at the empty space before her. "I really thought he was a nice guy. I had my hopes high, I guess."

It was Miku's dream to have a complete family she never had. When she first talked with Len about her pregnancy, everything was smooth. The early stages of her maternity seemed ideal too, because Len would always find a way to visit her. He would dote her, give unnecessary gifts she wouldn't use. They looked cute together as though they were a real couple, however Gumi knew better. Miku never mentioned anything about Len admitting his feelings, if ever he felt anything at all. It was a one-sided affair for Miku, for every day that Len would give Miku those smiles the girl was slowly falling for. Miku had fallen deep when she realised these feelings were wrong.

Gumi let out a sigh. It was truly depressing. She wondered how Miku could handle all this sort of stress while carrying the unborn child in her body. Gumi learned from school that it was bad for a pregnant woman to be stressed while on their maternity. It might affect the child's health.

"Miku avoided Len on her fifth month," Gumi mumbled. "She said she won't see him even until she gave birth. I don't think I can do anything about that."

"Do you know any reason why she'd say that?" Kaito leaned forward to see Gumi from his seat. "That's quite...hm. I really don't know."

"I'm not sure, Kaito. I think it has something to deal with the fact that Miku and Len didn't know each other really well. Miku mentioned something that Len still has a girlfriend, and she can't take him away from someone he loves just because she's carrying his child."

Oliver stirred hearing this. Girlfriend? Len didn't have one ever since Miku came into their lives. "No, that's wrong. Len's not seeing anyone ever since he met Miku. How did she come to such conclusion, Gumi?"

"Not sure," the girl shrugged.

That was when the three heard a piercing scream coming from Miku's room.

"Gumi!"

* * *

 **Author's note:**

Ey up. If you're reading this note, that's cool. Just wanna let you know that we need your presence in our forum, guys. If you're a fellow Lenku fan, or simply a Vocaloid fan, come and join us. Let's make some noise. It'll be nice to befriend you all. The forum guidelines will tell you what is that group all about. The fandom is dying lol. I love Lenku too much to stop writing for it yet. Help us! Join us! (I sound like a commercial agent. Whatever.) The link is on my profile. This one won't direct you there, I guess. forum/story-exchange/196943/

I'll see you there!

\- _xo, ivan._


	10. Rock and Roll (finale)

**Rock and Roll**

\- Part III -

* * *

Oliver gazed at the scratch marks on his right wrist. It was burning, warm and itchy, on his skin. For a moment he tried to convince himself that Miku was not a cat, and only cats would do such horrible deed on purpose. He looked back at the woman dozing off beside him as the hospital staff did what should be done to woman after she gave birth. This was a new record for the blond teenager to witness an actual birth, to receive all torment and disappointment Miku had been keeping, and to feel what it is like to have your hand slowly twisted.

Her face had no expression at all. Void. Almost dead. _No._ Miku looked like she was just sleeping, like she never gave birth at all – strands of her hair stuck on her wet-soaked face. Even at sleep, she was still pretty.

The woman had fainted after her child was taken out of her womb, the babe's cries lulled his mother to sleep. Yes, _his_ mother. It was just a shame she didn't see him enough as the doctor handed the child to Oliver so he could show it to her. She already passed out the moment the child first cried. It was only then that the blond noticed her grip had gone lose.

Oliver jittered as he carried the child in his arm. Well, the feeling was not _jittery_ exactly, more like a mixture of nervousness and excitement. First of all he hadn't held a child this vulnerable in his entire life. That was exciting. The baby was so soft and warm, and his face was just absolutely serene. Though he was a bit clad with blood stains here and there, the newborn was still a beautiful sight. The blond learned how to hold a _life_ in his arms especially when someone almost lost hers just to deliver the baby in this world. Second of all, the fact that he was actually the first person to see the child – yes, not even Miku – made his heart jump. Oliver wouldn't mind being this kid's father. However, that was impossible.

A few minutes ago a nurse took the baby from him saying that she would bring the child in the nursery. She even asked Oliver to fill up a certain document on the nurse station about the child's name, not knowing that he wasn't Miku's husband. Perhaps looks could be really deceiving nowadays. At least he knew that he wasn't that old-looking? The blond glanced at the sleeping woman once more before deciding to leave the delivery room. He could not do anything for her anymore, so it was time to take an exit. As he stepped away from Miku he realized a bigger problem to face: Gumi and her rage.

When they brought Miku to the hospital, it was decided that Gumi would accompany her friend on her delivery. Why, there was no Len anywhere. The green-haired girl talked to Miku, telling all things that might calm down the woman. Oliver was just there, sitting next to Miku as she did all breathing exercises Gumi was instructing her to do. Even the blond himself had to follow Gumi so just to calm down. Of course the preparation was wasted the moment he helped transferring Miku on the bed. The next thing Oliver knew was that her nails dug deep in his scalp, and he was running alongside with her as the nurses pushed the bed to the delivery room.

 _Oh, this is so bad._ Gumi wanted to have the _best friend of the year award._ _Shame,_ Oliver stole it.

The blond pushed the doors apart and heaved a sigh. Gumi and Kaito were standing adjacent to him, both had serious expressions on their faces. They must be praying for Miku's safe delivery.

"What do we have here?" Oliver started, picking his way to the two. Gumi wipped her head to his direction, eyes wide and teary.

"How is she? The baby? Is everything fine?"

 _Somehow this was a lot calmer than his expectations._

"Yes, everything's fine but my wrist." Oliver raised his hand to show them the unlikely marks he got. This would be a good remembrance. "That babe's really charming. You should see him in the nursery later."

The girl let out a sigh whilst a smile made its way on her face. Oliver heard a _thank God_ slip past her lips. Gumi still got the _bff_ award of the year. Look how she's worried.

"Did you really see how she gave birth?" Kaito asked.

"Well, no. I'm not the doctor, you know. And it's not like I'm interested to witness such." The blond sagged his shoulders. He wouldn't forget how she struggled to give birth, how her cries seemed to shatter even the heavens. Half of him was concerned with the baby, and half of him was concerned whether she'd get through it or not. With all these things going on in his mind, Oliver wasn't interested to _see_ how does a babe come out actually.

"I'll call Len."

"Done already," Kaito tapped his shoulder. "Just go and freshen up." The look he was giving the blond seemed to sense his anxiety. Nodding, Oliver turned to take his leave.

"How about the baby's name?" Gumi's hand stopped Oliver from going anywhere. _Name_? The blond turned around and frowned, why ask him?

"Miku fainted. Didn't she tell you what name she wants for her kid?"

"No, never. She refused to name the child after knowing that Len's still seeing his _ex._ "

"Childish, isn't she?" Oliver shook his head in disbelief.

"But," Gumi continued, "she thought of naming the boy after Len once. She also considered names like _Leon, Leonard, Leopold_ and _Lendl._ Basically after Len."

"Why don't we just wait for Len? He can still name the kid, can't he? You know by now that hehad _no_ affair even if he was seeing his ex, yes?" Kaito inserted, beaming like a chesire cat. "After all he donated half of the kid's DNA."

The three stood in silence for a good half-minute, contemplating whether they should interfere with this affair. They understood that Miku and Len liked each other more than mere attraction, that both were too coward to admit it was love. Everyone could tell that these two deserved a chance, but the choice was all theirs to make.

It wasn't really their business to mind. No, not really. They were just like Olympus gods sulking on such a tragic romance between mortals. Nevertheless it wasn't bad to wish people happiness, no? Oliver sighed at the thought of it. He hoped so much for Len and this girl.

Just then loud and heavy footfalls broke their silence. The noise was coming from one of the hallways leading to the delivery room. A loud thud startled Gumi, it sounded like something heavy fell on the ground; followed by an unintelligible noise, then a weary guy emerged from the corridor a few feet away from Oliver and friends. Len with his mussed dark hair jogged to Oliver's direction upon seeing his blond cousin. He was carrying his beloved guitar with him as he ran to them, his face pale.

"Kaito, Oliver," Len said in between his gasps, letting his guitar to fall off his shoulder. "Gumi," he also called her, nodding briefly to acknowledge her presence. He didn't care if he broke his guitar by dropping it on the ground just like that, for the matter of importance was more valuable than it.

Kaito and Oliver stayed silent, perhaps waiting for Len to ask them the _big_ question. Both were saucer-eyed, eyes glistening with so much hope that they could prove to Gumi that their dude– _this dude_ –Len, was serious with his intentions to Miku. Though yes, everything started with a drunken intercourse, at least Len grew to have genuine intentions.

Len, still recovering from his breathless journey from wherever he came from, fell on his feet. He was really pale, beads of sweat trickled down from his hairline. Oliver couldn't help but think that Len actually looked like he had been through a labor too with all that sweat dropping shit.

"Where..is she? What happened?" Len tried to get up soon, still panting. "Is she...okay? What. Talk." When his two guys continued to stare, he yelled. "Where is Miku?! What happened?"

Silence isn't the greatest answer one can get in his entire life. It poses so much suspense that makes a person downright jittery. No one knows what will follow after the dramatic silence, no? Is it good news or not? Only the other speaker knows. That is why Len's heart skipped a beat when Oliver and Kaito remained quiet.

Was it bad or was it good? What happened to the mother and her child? Didn't he make it? The silence was worrying him more.

"Where's the room?" Len asked calmly this time. He didn't wait for an answer though, he just pushed the two apart and looked to the room himself. It didn't take him long, nevertheless, for the doors beside him opened and nurses pushed out a bed where an unconscious Miku was lying asleep.

He quickly tugged at the people pushing her bed, asking them what happened to her and the child. The nurses answered reluctantly while giving him a puzzled look. When one of them dared to inquire what was his relationship with Miku, he told them that he was the father of her child. The redhead nurse half-screamed ' _what?'_ hearing Len's response and turned to point Oliver. _'Isn't he the husband?'_

"No, he's my cousin. Thank you for keeping Miku safe," Len stood aside and gave them a half-hearted smile before walking back to his friends. Miku was fine. Now, to the baby.

"So all this time they thought you're the dad," Gumi chuckled at Oliver, couldn't believe that this guy would be mistaken as a father. "I can't see why not, though."

"I don't look that old," Oliver shrugged and nodded at Len as he joined them back. "Are you fine now, Len?"

"Yes. You should have told me she's fine. I thought something happened. You know I hate silent answers but you still pull that trick," Len sighed and ran his fingers through his dark locks combing his hair back. "I need to my son."

"And name him," Kaito added as he started to walk down the hall.

* * *

Len almost pressed his face against the clear glass as he intently stared wrapped in blue cloth. He and his friends were in the nursery right now, and the nurse looking for the babies showed them Miku's child. It was an understatement that the father was tearing up, his forehead leaning against the glass.

Kaito and Gumi just watched the band vocalist as his shoulders shook. Len kept on scratching the glass as if he wanted to hold the child in his arms. Too bad only Oliver had that privilege a few minutes ago. Meanwhile, Oliver was also moved by such scene. Len truly loved Miku and this baby, he waited for so long to see the child. Oh dude, he only wished to see his cousin happy.

"Aren't you overreacting, Oli?" Kaito pulled the blond teenager by his side, swatting his arm every time he'd try to wipe his tears.

"I'm just glad to see Len happy. What the heck, stop hitting me! These tears are genuine!"

Snorting at the scene before her, Gumi decided to ask the thing intriguing her the most. "Hey, Kaito and Oliver," she called. "I know that...Len's being sincere here and all. That he really loves my best friend, sister, you name it. But...Miku does have black hair originally, you know. Len, too. Why's the darling blond?"

Kaito and Oliver looked at each other for a moment, then turned their heads to the girl at the same time. "Len is a blond," Kaito whispered. "He dyed his hair black for the sake of looking like a rock star - whatever."

"Yeah. He thought no one would take him seriously if he claimed to _'rock and roll'_ if he's not _deviant_ looking. And black is a thing for rock bands, in case you didn't know." Oliver called his cousin afterwards, telling him that the nurse station was now asking for him to name the baby.

Gumi was mildly surprised with such revelation, and she was imagining how did he used to look with blond locks. Sure, he was a looker as he was right now. However, that still made the difference.

"Did Miku know that? That he's not black-haired?" she followed the three as they picked their way to the nurse's station. "I mean, wow. That's shocking."

"Never. He never told anyone," mumbled Kaito, keeping his voice low so Len wouldn't hear them. Anyway, that wasn't the issue right now. Len would have to comfort Miku an awful lot and he must explain everything to her. The blond must succeed doing so, because Kaito and Oliver went to Miku today for the same reason. Len cried to them last night while asking for help. He wanted her and their baby, that was all.

That was all.

* * *

 **Rock and Roll** completed.

 _I know this sounds rushed. Maybe it really is. Sorry._

Expect me posting your requests after this. I'll find time finishing them all. Request box is still OPEN. It's okay to make multiple requests.

-ivannt.


	11. How do I love thee?

**How do I love thee?**

 **-** Part I -

* * *

 _The heavy rainfall drowned the sound of shattering glasses. The thunderstorm had not stopped, contradicting the weather news earlier that day. As the rain poured, the thunder roared. The lightning illuminated the dark house for a moment, but soon the shadows swallowed everything again._

 _It was very late in the evening now, the second hand of the clock struck twelve. People were surely in their deep slumber, deaf and blind to anything_ actually _happening in their surroundings._ Deaf _and_ blind _to the screams of the woman crawling on the ground, dragging her bloody legs as she clawed on the carpet. No one would come to help. No one. Not even her own husband._

 _She had shed all tears she could running her tear ducts dry. The skin once fair and flawless was now studded with long, bloody lacerations that almost tore her muscles apart. Her legs, now out of its senses, were dragged with her as she tried to run away from the kitchen. Though her voice was hoarse_ – _it hurt to utter a word_ – she _continued to make sounds hoping that someone,_ just someone, _would come and help her._

 _In spite of the darkness of the house, she groped the ground, pulled herself up and groped her way again. She would leave this place. Now. No matter how impossible that idea seemed to sound._

 _This was a nightmare. All nightmares might be horrible, but this was considered the worst. She regretted coming to this place._

 _Suddenly her hand touched a cold, soft object_ – _or was it not just an object?_ – _making the woman stop on her track. When the lightning shone brief illumination, she shrieked in horror as she came face to face with a man lying on the floor bathing with his own blood._

 _No wonder why her husband wasn't here to rescue._

 _Her whole body was trembling violently, she lost the last bits of energy and will in her mind and body. This would be the_ dead end _for her. The tears she thought lost trickled down her cheeks as she pulled herself closer to her cold, stiff husband. "_ This is the end _," she thought. "_ There's no other way out."

 _"Indeed. There's no way out," a voice echoed. The rain poured harder as the wind shook the shut windows. The thunder roared like a ferocious lion this time, its sound lingered in the air._

 _The woman knew what would happen next, she was no idiot. Slowly turning her head to where the voice was from, she saw her murderer standing a few meters from her. His head hung low. He had a kitchen knife on his left hand, veins almost bulging out with such tight grip. She could see his shirt stained with blood of hers and her husband's._

 _"This was the end," he lifted his head as the lightning flashed. For the first time she saw his face. Icy blue eyes void of any mercy glanced down at her. It was the same face her daughter talked about for countless times. The face she and her husband refused to believe._

 _"Good-bye, Mrs. Hatsune."_

Life is definitely lonely for some reasons. These reasons can either be relative or just the general truth. But for a girl living inside a hole filled with murky thoughts, life is lonely and that is _her_ truth.

Nothing can change something held to be true for some time. No one could just come and say that the sky wasn't really blue. Nobody could claim that we were actually living in a different dimension, that we were the strangest form of living things in the cosmos. Likewise, no one could take the sadness away from Miku now that it was stitched to her very being.

She was crying again, curled up on her bed with her chin resting on her knees. The sheets underneath her were creased and crumpled, but she couldn't care less. Letting her tears fall was the top priority right now, so ignore the insignificant stuff. Just let it all out.

Another person left her life. As she looked at the plain white ceiling with her eyes red, questions ran in circles inside her head. It had been like this ever since she was young, she was always alone. Gone were the comrades who promised they would stay, their whereabouts were unknown. She sobbed again, feeling like a wound had been seasoned with salt. It was such a painful, unending and crude experience.

Miku grabbed the nearest pillow and there she buried her face. She was sorry for this room after witnessing all of her breakdowns but thankful at the same time for bearing with her. If they could speak, maybe this place would wish her to leave. Or the other way 'round. Who knows?

The room was filled with her soft sobs. Shoulders trembling, she tossed on the other side. It was almost nightfall, her unlit room was slowly succumbed by the shadows. The girl remained on her bed, still crying her heart out, not caring if it would be dark as nothingness. The cool wind slipping through the gap on her window went unnoticed too. You know, vulnerability could do wonders.

Amid her ceaseless whimpers, faint slow footfalls could be heard. Miku knew to whom it belonged since there was only one person left in her life. It happened just like that - the wooden door of her closet opened as it creaked. Quickly, a bit of the bed sunk behind Miku as a thin, cold arm draped on her waist. She felt him leaning on her back, his forehead pressed on it.

"You're crying again," his voice soothing, said. "You know I hate that."

In between her sobs she managed to say, "I hate it too."

The two of them remained quiet for a good half minute, finding comfort in their shared silence. Her shoulders continued to tremble, passing on her uncontrollable body impulse to him. His hold on her waist was kind and gentle like a mother's, fingers entwined with her long teal hair. He hated it whenever she was crying, he already told her. And yet here she was, shedding tears like a thunderstorm.

"Who did it this time?" he broke the silence first. When she did not reply, he talked again, pushing a banana plush to her arms. "It wasn't nice of them to make someone cry on her sixteenth birthday."

"Of course it wasn't," she screamed against the pillow, body shaking more violently. Her nails dug deep on the plush. He could hear how her voice trembling as she spoke. "I...I just...maybe it's human nature."

He didn't say a thing.

"...or maybe...it's just me. Am I that despicable?" she lifted her face off the pillow.

The tear-soaked pillow was discarded on the floor as her eyes reconnected with the whiteness of her room. She almost missed its whiteness, given the dim lighting in her room. But she didn't care whether there was light or none. It was just the same anyway, her room was still uninteresting.

"Do you hate me, Len? Do you hate me like others did?"

Miku heard him tut in disagreement, his head wincing. His arm slipped away from her waist to push himself up and glance at her beautiful visage. The white ceiling was replaced by a familiar face, and seeing him lit up a smile on her face.

Those sunken blue eyes and pallid skin...

His chapped lips and blood-stained shirt...

Those wisps of blond hair dyed with blood stains...

Miku shed another tear – this time because of happiness. She lifted her hands to touch his face, his cool skin never failed to calm her down. He was the only friend she had, the only one who would never break the promises they shared.

"I don't, and you know that," his words granted her assurance that there was _still_ a person left for her. "I won't leave you like what they did. I promise."

Miku knew he would stay.

Len always stayed.

Ever since.

Closing the gap between their bodies, Len leaned down to give her a hug. It was what she needed now, solace, and only he could give that.

She remembered how they first met eight years ago. Her pants were drenched with her own pee since her mother refused to take a stop. It was a long ride, she recalled, for that day they moved to a new place. Yearly they would move around so just to adjust with her parents' duties in work. They were indulged to their works, sometimes neglecting that they had a daughter waiting for them every evening. She was always sitting before the dining table alone wishing that her parents would come to eat with her. Miku had countless stories to tell her dad and mom, but they were always away.

It had always been a ritual, somewhat tradition, to move out from place to place because of her parents' works. At a very young age, Miku accepted the impermanence of life in a literal sense. She couldn't make life-long friends. What did she know about communication? She was a mere ghost, a label. Miku was a plain evidence that her parents made love one steamy evening. She was the _element_ which made their image a _"family"_.

When Miku went first inside their new house, she never imagined befriending someone. For all her life, she hadn't made friends with anybody in a particular city where they settled down. It was easier to leave with fewer baggage, her mom said. Have no attachments so it would be easy to leave and forget – _easy_.

The house Miku's parents found was old, its design was like from the story books her dad had read her to sleep. The archs, the porch, the tall garden walls where ivories grew; it had a nice architecture reeking of antiquity. The classic.

At an instant, she wandered inside the house, leaving her parents behind. Her feet stomped on the shiny wooden pallets as she ran up the second storey. Her little hands grazed on the tapestries as she walked from halls to halls, momentarily pausing to take a glimpse of the unknown portraits hanging on the wall. The girl she was, curious like a cat, opened each rooms within her reach and started to assess which one should she take. She had all the freedom to choose, they'd give anything anyway, as a compensation for their absence. Nevertheless, no luxury could replace the love and attention she was asking for. Was she given any other choice? No. She better appreciate what was served on her plate.

It was then when she found the narrow staircase leading to the attic. The dim passage could be barely seen, but thanks to the bright sunlight passing through a small window behind her. The girl ran up and twisted the knob, pushing herself inside a room covered with dust fine as snow. If she would walk she'd leave her footprints – the idea excited her, it reminded her of the seaside. Gladly she took a step forward, followed by series of steps that left dark prints on the ground. Twirling and waltzing all by herself, Miku found joy in solitude. She was a princess, and this was her kingdom. The lonely, empty loft served as her grand ball. _She was a lovely girl, only if her parents had seen that._

Her music was the cicadas singing from the trees nearby. The sound of her dad's stomping echoed faintly like distant drums. When the wind blew, shaking the windows, everything felt surreal. So she moved, and twirled, and hopped – eyes closed to feel the moment. Her imagination was something _really_ developed since she was always left all by herself. This didn't last long, however, when she stepped on a soft object where her foot sunk in. Looking down, she saw a... _banana plush?_

The curious girl picked up the toy, wondering what use would it be for her. She took it in her arms and turned to run downstairs at her mom's call. Quick, light steps brought her to help her mom soon while the banana plush was in her arms. She carried it not knowing where it came from.

Days had passed since they moved in. Once again, she was left alone inside the house. It was in the middle of summer break so she was stuck indoors with no vigour to go out and play. She had made no friends yet, by the way.

Miku was sitting on her bed, glancing down on the neighborhood through the gaps of her curtains. She watched how the children of her she ran around the lawn next to hers, firing water-guns to each other. That might be a nice game to play under the summer heat, she thought, feeling more sullen. She wanted to lick an ice cream too after a tiring game.

Drawing the curtains together, she collapsed on her bed. The banana plush cushioned her head. It was cool inside her room, the AC was set to 18°. Well, it was cooler compared outside. But she wanted to feel the heat for fun, with fun. Sighing in disappointment, Miku closed her eyes. For a moment, it was peaceful. It was just her and the plush, the cute snorts of the children from the neighborhood and the cool air.

She was almost asleep when the serene trance was broken by a soft sobbing. Miku jolted up from her seat, ears perking up at the strange noise. It was _someone,_ wasn't it? Her ears wouldn't wrong her. She remained still, waiting for the sob. The wailing resumed, though, much to her surprise, and it was clearer this time. A neighbor must have broken in her place? Jumping down her bed, Miku walked quietly to find where it came from.

Quiet as a mouse, she moved towards the door. It must be someone – a child, she hoped – trapped in their backyard. The plywood her dad put there must have fallen when the kid tried to sneak in. However, her mind stopped drawing conclusion when the girl stood before the old closet, still in her room. The sobbing was coming from here, it was faint enough – or maybe loud? – to make it sound as though it was projected from the ground floor. Now, what was hiding here.

She just remembered that this wooden cabinet was here when they moved in. It was a pretty antique stuff her mom fancied, but when Miku asked to keep it, her mother gave in. It was a half-hearted decision, Miku recalled. The night after that, her mom was just calling her dad by his name. Meiko must really liked the closet but had no choice but to hand it to her daughter. Again, as a compensation.

Fearlessly and curiously, the girl pulled the doors a fraction heavier than her weight. At first it was just her clothes hanging that welcomed her sight, until she noticed someone crouching underneath the hems of her dresses.

"Hey, what are you doing there? Are you a thief?" Miku waited for the person to answer. There was a sobbing instead of a reply. "Stop crying and get out. I'll call a police if you don't."

She heard how her clothes ruffled under the person's weight, and soon it stepped out of the closet. He was taller than her–way taller, she only reached a little above his hips. He was rather pale and thin as if he was ill. His eyes were red and wet with tears. Miku looked up to him with wonder.

"Aren't you too big to cry?" she stepped backwards to have a good view of his face. His unruly blond hair looked like he just came out of the bed. His lips, chapped and almost blue, quivered as though it was wintry cold in her room.

He was too thin, she thought. The clothes he had on was untidy, and he was barefooted too! Where did he come from?

Miku watched him as he sat beside the closet, sitting where its shadows lay. There he hugged himself, dark circles under his eyes looked grim. His thin arms were scratched, some traces of blood had gone dry on his skin. He must be chased by a dog, Miku mumbled.

"What's your name? I'm Miku." She sat before him, keeping a safe distance between them. Wasn't he too old to act like this? "How did you get in here?"

"H-how did you get i-in here," the boy quietly repeated, his hard glare casted on the innocent girl. "How?"

"We bought it? Or rented? I'm not sure," Miku answered, pulling the banana plush from behind. She began fiddling it. "Are you okay? You look thirsty."

"I am..." he looked away, wide eyes examined the room. Everything was white, the wall, the curtain and the ceiling, except for a pieces of furniture.

"I'll get you a glass. Wait for me."

"...sad," he spoke, closing his eyes. His hoarse voice made his words unintelligible. "I am sad. Don't go."

This meeting was the beginning of an unlikely friendship.

* * *

 **request:** "I found him in my closet crying. He told me he was alone and sad, so I became his friend. He's my invisible friend because nobody but me can see him. Because his heart no longer beats."


	12. How do I love thee? part II

**How do I love thee?**

\- Part II -

Miku shut the blinds as soon as she got up from her bed. She loved mornings the best since everything appeared serene and paradise-like that time of the day. The sun was shining down to the planet, its long rays pushing the darkness away. Should the birds sing longer, it was perfect. Who wouldn't like the birds' twittering?

She liked mornings so she shut the blinds. Clenching her fists, the girl wore a bitter face and hopped back onto her bed. Today was not a good time to look at the neighborhood. _They_ were all out there, mowing their lawns and chattering like the happy people they were, but she was not. She couldn't talk to them even though she badly wanted to do so.

 _Freak._ It wasn't a label anymore, it was her identity. They defined the girl the way they could see her, not bothering to know her in depth first before concluding. People got two eyes and one tongue—look deeper before you say anything. However her neighborhood was a different case. They were all too narrow-minded, perhaps. Miku didn't do anything to clear her name, nonetheless. _It was a waste of energy_ , Len told her. _Their opinions don't matter, and never will it be._

Miku curled up on her bed, her chin rested atop her knees. Though she loved mornings, she couldn't just go out for a walk. Most of the times she would do so with Len, sometimes he was clinging to her arms. He was really afraid of the broad daylight and the people. So long as Miku was with him, he would be fine. Every time they would go out to a stroll, Miku would tell him lots of tales. She was a cheerful chatterbox, the blond never thought she was boring. But after years of doing that, specifically on her fifteenth birthday, she finally noticed how her neighbors gave her cold shoulders. Whenever she would walk down the street, she could feel the cold gazes piercing her. They were so many. So many. All of them were judging her. _Freak._ _Why is she talking to herself?_

"They're like mom and dad," the girl mumbled, shoulders trembled as she whispered to herself. They couldn't see _him._ "I bet if I moved out, I'll live a normal life."

She felt a part of the bed sunk — it was him; _he_ was here. A pair cold hands lifted her face from being stooped, and her glistening green eyes met his wide blue orbs. His hands were shaking violently, it was as if he was cold. The pallor of his skin could always be mistaken like those of sick people.

"You're leaving me, Miku? You promised to stay. You promised," Len's voice was hoarse and scared. His face was fleeting everywhere. It was kind of senseless to hold her face like that if he would refuse to stare at her. Anyway, she knew he was afraid. Len had always been. "You can't leave me. You can't."

She opened her mouth to say something but his finger silenced her. Len was wincing, his blond hair stained with red followed his head. "I...I can't...I don't know. You can't! I...you, we live here. You told me. You're still a kid! Remember? You'll stay. We'll live here."

He was crying a river now. It was so easy for him to weep. Sometimes Miku envied that. For all the years she endured to curse living aloof, with no parents to greet you after school, her heart had gone numb for such longing. Only the notion that people wouldn't stay by her side could provoke tears, just like yesterday.

Len pulled the girl to his arms, trapping the lonely girl in his cold embrace. She had been hearing the same breakdown from him ever since; he would turn like this every time she would think of leaving. Len didn't want to be alone. Miku pressed her face against his chest, indulging with his familiar cold body. There was nothing to hear there. She hoped she could listen to his heart one day. Until today, his heart was a missing piece of him. There must be a thick wall inside him that prevented his heartbeat to reach her.

"I won't leave you," she mumbled, fingers clutching his shirt. "You're the only one left for me." It was the only thing she could promise him. The only thing which would make him smile.

"You promised me, Miku. You won't leave," he pulled her away to see her face, "we will stay. Okay?"

He was the only one left for her. Yes, that was true. No one stayed this long for her, not even her parents. Neither the friends she made. They all left. Miku nodded and shot him a loving smile. "I'll always stay, Len."

The blond smiled, satisfied with her answer, and quickly wiped his tears. He was like a child, little things could make him glad. His smile lit up his gloomy face, but the sick-paleness remained. What he demanded was something not easy to give though, but she would give it anyway. For someone who kept her company for so long, why wouldn't she return the favor?

The blond stooped down and placed a chaste kiss on her lips; it was his way of saying thanks. Before she could register that he stole another kiss from her, she was staring at the white ceiling. Len vanished again. The coldness of his body was gone. _Freak._ Miku traced her lips blankly. Was it the third time after yesterday? He did this the first time too, after she cried.

The girl turned around and peeked through the blinds. The incessant chirping of birds faded now. It was brighter than earlier, and her neighbors were walking back to their houses now. Soon, the neighborhood was empty. Miku sighed and decided to start her day. She liked mornings but she couldn't go out to enjoy it.

"Len, I have school today. I'll see you later." Miku stood before the closet where they first met and waited for a response. She knew he was hiding here; this was his abode. Len was such a sweet person, if only people would see that. _If only._

When silence choked her, she went straight to the loo to prepare for school.

* * *

The blond sat quietly on the ledge. It never dawned to him that Miku could be this happy. From where he was, he could see her laughing as she walked alongside with a tall redhead. Len knew his name, it was _Fukase._ He heard about the guy last night when Miku cried. The redhead ditched her on their date. It was supposed to be a birthday treat, and Miku being her emotional self, broke down after being stood up. People were always leaving her, she concluded. But look at her now, she was never this happy with Len.

A scrowl wiped the gleeful smile he had a few seconds ago—the smile which symbolized his excitement to greet her home. Her parents would do that before, he'd witnessed, and such greeting made the simple girl happy. However, those good old days were long gone—it was her parents' fault, anyway. They should have believed their daughter.

The blond clenched his fists, a strange feeling was making him feel uncomfortable. He recognised the smiles she was making with that guy—her parents could make her smile that way too.

And Gumi, too, her kindergarten best friend.

And Mr. Kiyoteru, her middle school teacher.

And Sweet Ann—oh, good old maid—who thought she could adopt Miku.

And Big Al, the newspaper boy.

And Rei, Miku's sixth grade crush.

And Luka, the leader of the girl scouts' club. Miku regarded her as an older sibling.

He had a long list of names who made Miku happy, so happy she almost had forgotten Len. Some of her relatives tried to take her away too, but Len did all necessary actions to keep his only friend. So until today, she stayed with him. Well, _he made her stay._

They could make Miku smile like this; and they did. But where were they? _Len chuckled as he watched Miku and the guy walked closer to the house._ Gone with the wind. _Fukase should join them._

Len was rocking himself on her bed when his only companion entered her room. Against the whiteness of room, he stood out so much because of his...blood-soaked shirt. Miku knew that he had always been like this. In fact, when she was younger she thought it was his shirt's design.

"Hey, Len. How are you?" She walked to him and tossed her bag on the floor. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"Because I'm glad to see that someone's making you smile," Len knelt on the bed to pat the girl's head. "Does he love you?"

"Oh, we're just friends." Miku started to unbutton her blouse, moving away from the blond to find a comfortable shirt in the closet. "I'm just glad he apologized about yesterday. It turns out that his younger sister held him up."

"And you reconciled with him?"

"Of course," she chuckled before putting the shirt on. "Fukase is a good person."

"Humans are innately good, Miku." Len gazed intently at the ceiling. If Fukase could make her happy...what would Len do? He saw her spacing out from time to time, and he wondered what she was thinking during those hours. Was it Fukase? Was she thinking of the people who left her life? Len never knew what was going on in her mind, but he could tell if she was thinking of leaving. And he wouldn't let that happen.

"I hope he isn't a jerk feigning kindness." The blond appeared behind the girl, caring less if she was undressing from her pants. "I don't want to see you cry again, Miku."

"I know you won't leave me, Len." Miku placed her jeans on a rack and put on her sweat pants. Turning around, she held his cold face in her palms. "Even if thousands of people abandon me, I know I'll be fine. You're always there."

A minute of blissful silence stretched like eternity. They were good friends, Miku and Len, and it would be a waste if people would try ruining their friendship. It was Miku who broke the stand still when she tiptoed to place a peck on his lips. Wasn't this his way of thanking? Pressing her palm against his chest, she told him, "Len, I want to find your heart."

"You don't have to. You can be one."


	13. Happier

**Happier**

* * *

Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the leather strap of her bag. Miku could feel her heart beating hard in her chest, her blood rushing to her face and her tears trickling down her cheeks. When was the last time she saw him? A month ago? Just a _month_ ago? This was all too soon.

Miku turned around and scurried away from the unlikely scene she just witnessed, all doing so without loosening her grip on the leather strap. She could feel the cool wind biting her cheeks, but the warm liquid wetting her eyes countered that. As she walked pass by people, pushing them aside so just she could get away from here, many heads had been looking her way. She was aware of the eyes gazing at her, perhaps wondering why a lady was crying in a public place, however she never cared. Miku only wanted to get lost from this place, to forget the worst thing she had ever seen.

While she was running away, her friends who succeeded inviting her today were hot on her trail. Their screams were unnoticed though. They had been calling her right the moment she turned her back, missing the tears falling from those pained eyes, but Miku would not want to look their way. She wouldn't risk to see the only thing that would rob her sanity.

Kaito, her guy best friend, watched her ride a tram soon enough. He knew enough why would she walk away like that, those quick steps were so familiar to him. Those hastened steps were like raindrops racing against each other, wanting to touch down on earth as soon as possible.

The friends with him right now, Gumi and Mayu, both had a confused look on their faces. He wouldn't blame them, after all it took them an entire week to convince Miku to come out of her flat. Gumi was complaining now, and Kaito knew he ought to explain things. The guy looked around to find where Miku saw _him_ , stepping away from the two girls to see _what_ sort of thing had such effect on Miku.

Mayu was tugging on his sleeves, whispering that they should follow Miku by now. "Kaito, where are you going? Come on, let's go back," the blond girl tried to hold him back. However, he suddenly pulled away from her grip, it was so forceful she almost stumbled back had Gumi not come to catch her. Guys usually do that when they are mad, don't they?

"What's up with him? First, 'twas Miku who walked out. And now, him. Wow, I never played the 'ditching game', how rude of 'em." Gumi was annoyed now, failing to understand whatever was going on in here.

Currently they were in the downtown to treat Miku a dinner to some cozy restaurant that had opened a week ago. People were filling in the streets now, the crowds grew thicker as time passed by. This was a busy place after all, being the heart of the city. Though Miku hated to go through this thick crowd of people nowadays, this was the only place they could offer her. Gumi planned an out-of-town escapade but the dejected Miku quickly dismissed the idea.

"Why don't we follow that Kaito-jerk, Mayu? Come on, stop nursing your wrist. It didn't really hurt that much," Gumi grabbed Mayu's arm and dragged her to look where Kaito went to. Amid Mayu's complaint - that it _did_ hurt - the two froze on their tracks when they spotted the blue-haired dude staring at a restaurant window before them.

None of the three spoke, they just looked and internalized what the fuck was there. Standing across the street, they gawked at the place. It was the restaurant they were supposed to dine in, but here, right before their very eyes, they could see the most despicable scene they could ever show to Miku.

It was Mayu who noticed how tensed Kaito was. She could see the slight tremble in his hand as it closed to a fist. When she looked up to gaze at his visage, his furrowed brows proved his anger. She was about to tell him to calm down when she felt a strong arm that pulled her away from where she stood, almost stumbling again.

"Let's go out of here," it was Gumi, "Miku might hate us now. Hold your horses, Kaito. Let's go." She was also pulling Kaito away from the place, though the guy was resisting a tad enough to piss her off.

"I have to give that asshole a good beating, Gumi." Kaito tried to yank his arm away but when Gumi said that it would make him equally hate-worthy jerk, he should stop. "He had no idea how much she was hurting right now. Miku had a rough time moving on, but here he was...dating a new girl. I know you know how Miku hides the truth with those smiles, no?"

"Then I would like to remind you that we're out of their problem, dude. Let them resolve their own complication. Don't get your butt involved in this boat 'cause you're adding fuel to the fire. Did I explain it well enough?" Gumi always had this eminent aura that could win any conversation. Well, she was correct with her point on one hand.

"And what are we gonna say if she asks how's he?" Kaito looked at Gumi in the eyes, feeling superior and correct for the first time.

The three stood still amid the busy crowd, locked away from the commotion, hustle and bustle of the city. Mayu watched the two as they stared at each other. Both of them wished one would concede to win this small argument.

"Tell her he's doing good. Tell her he is doing better, that he's happier now so she has to get her self out of the pit of sadness she _alone_ was caught in," Gumi turned her back to Kaito and pulled Mayu with her. That ended the talk. She was right, and Kaito knew the precision of her words.

It seemed that Len was happier now that he was unshackled from his relationship with Miku, and it was Miku alone who was grieving on their breakup.

* * *

The door slammed close as soon as Miku arrived in her place. Her shoes, her keys and her bag were all discarded on the floor. Throwing things here and there, her flat turned into an instant mess. She was tired of crying–she thought she was, but it seemed that her heart willed her to be this vulnerable. The tears that continued to rush down her cheeks reminded that despite the lie she fed herself – that she was good now, that she could continue without him – she was still in love with him.

It has been a month since they parted ways, but when she saw him from the window of that restaurant...

Miku grabbed the vase on her coffee table–it was the vase she bought with him while they planned their marriage and future–and planned to throw it, too. It hurt her chest to remember all these things, for it seemed that she, alone, could remember all these memories. Losing the strength to break the vase into pieces, she forcefully put it back on the table and yelled instead. The tears stung by now, the pain in her chest was too overwhelming, too.

She couldn't see the carpet underneath her feet anymore. Her tears made her eyes blurry and somewhat blind. Vent, yes, she had to vent all these feelings of sadness and jealousy eating her up alive. Miku turned around, not noticing how unwell she looked from the mirror, intending to kick the couch. However, like what happened earlier, she stopped midway kicking it. And if she thought her tear ducts would run dry by now, tears gushed more. How could she mutilate something that held most memories of them together? The late nights when they stayed up lying down on the couch flashed in her mind. She could see herself curled up against the blond who used to be her world, smiling and giggling. It was too vivid for her liking...it was way too vivid. She could still hear his laughter and his voice whispering what kind of house they were supposed to live in. Miku could feel his hands caressing her face whenever he would tell her that she would still be gorgeous even if they had eleven kids. She could feel his chaste kisses on her lips, nose and cheeks whenever he was messing up with her.

Miku fell on her knees, leaning her head against the armrest of the couch. She started slamming her fists on the seat, yelling, asking, wondering why...why did it end like that?

This was something she couldn't take anymore. Sitting in that part of the room, everything was reminding her of him – of them. The happy days and the sad ones, the episodes filled with rage and the ones filled with bliss – she couldn't take the idea of forgetting them. When she met him, she promised to herself that she would not love anyone but him. And yet...

One day, when all sort of bad luck teamed up against her, she found herself sitting in front of him. His usual lax expression was gone, his smile - lost. There was despondency in his cobalt blue eyes, too, but there were no tears. Maybe he was pretending to be brave just to show her that he could do it. Right then she decided to smile for him, to cheer him up as they parted ways. She could be strong, too, right?

So all this time she refused to get out of her flat to socialize. Her routine was focused on her work and her alone times, and if people would ask her how she was coping with the breakup, she would reply them a smile. She was good, but she needed time to spend with herself. Alone in her room, she would drown herself with drinks that would make her forget momentarily. How many empty bottles had she nursed? How many times had she wept for the same issue? Miku lost count.

After a month, she decided to give life a shot, to try acting normal. But she guessed universe hated her so much. The place where Kaito, Gumi and Mayu decided to bring her was the last place she wished to visit right now. Her eyes couldn't wrong her, she knew that lemon-like hair too much to be mistaken. She was so accustomed to that beautiful smile which used to be directed to her. If something seemed different in that scene, it was that she was not the girl sitting opposite him. His smile, too, was twice wider than the ones he showed her. He was happier and was doing better than her.

"You're happier, Len. You're happier, aren't you?" Miku mumbled, pressing her palm against her forehead. Tears were still ceaseless as she tried to forget what scene she witnessed earlier. "Can she...love you like I do?"

Holding back no more, she stood and kicked the coffee table, breaking the vase along the process. "I'm...still–why are you doing fine?"

Miku wondered if Len saw her from the restaurant, too. Did he try to excuse himself to run after her? Did he even _notice_ her watching him from outside? Miku wondered. She wondered but she also knew that these thoughts were futile. This was a thunderstorm of tears and pains no one could forecast. She would be flooded with memories tonight, for sure. Perhaps she would drown herself with whiskey or something.

Still sobbing, she sent Kaito a message to apologize for earlier, also claiming that she got a stomach bug. She was replied quickly, though, saying _"don't lie."_ Miku let out a bitter laughter before texting him back that she was feeling good now.

 _"Miku, Len's happier now. You have to move on, too."_

There were times she had to hate Kaito's honesty. And this one's one of those times. She was aware that Len was all right now, that he was better off without her. Miku knew enough that he was _happier_ with someone else now, but no. Len was happy now, but Miku was happier...with him.

She was still in love with him, and while she was at it...she might as well enjoy the pain.

He looked happier, but she was happier with him. That would be the unchangeable fact as of now.

* * *

 **Ed Sheeran's DIVIDE** (album) **is freaking good. Magnum opus, wtf. This fic is based from his song 'Happier' - listen to it if you haven't heard it yet.**

 **Haven't written for so long so yeah. I have to write this quickly because this song won't silence the writer in me (and I've been waiting for so long to get to write again).**

 **\- ivannt.**


	14. Secretly

**Secretly**

* * *

Luki pressed his back against the door, both arms were stretched across to prevent anyone exiting the changing room. This whole bet was plain stupid and ridiculous and embarrassing. For him it was the worst prank ever, and what made it _really_ bad was that he was the victim here, and yet his friends seemed to fancy this bullshit. He could feel his pink locks sticking to his forehead as he stood there serving as a human barrier to keep his friends from opening the door. The room was getting too hot now. Or was it his clothes?

"Our buddy here is a tad shy," Mikio commented, suppressing his laughter as he gripped his stomach. Aside from being shy, Luki was downright funny. The whole of him. "Fuck this," he bit his lower lip as a hoarse laughter resonated from him. "Gumo, you totally nailed this one."

"Can you shut up for like, five seconds?" Luki rolled his eyes but remained in his place. He would not risk his reputation here. If these guys got through this door, everything would be over for him. But getting real here, there were three of his friends standing in front him right now and there would be no stopping them if ever they teamed up against him. Luki gulped as his sweat trickled down the side of his face. The best thing he could do was to stop them so long as he could.

"Stop whining already, Luki. Don't chicken out here and get the bet done," the white-haired punk yelled from the back of the room as he stuffed a thin chocolate bar shaped like cigarette in his mouth. He was sitting in a stool placed next to the window at the back of the room, the noon sun made his white hair bright. "If you go to class now, this will be over soon. You're prolonging your own agony, _strawberry shortcake_."

Mikio agreed to Dell and urged Luki to exit the room before the students surge to the cafeteria any moment soon. Gym class was over for the five of them, and they had to get back before the next class could begin in twenty minutes. When the blond refused to go, arguing that he would dwell inside the changing room until Gumo's dare was done, the brunet standing next to Mikio spoke.

"Does that count, Gumo? That wouldn't be so fun, you know." The brunet flashed a goofy grin to the _pinkhead_ , his dark irises showed no hints of empathy towards Luki. Hopelessly, doom was waiting for Luki behind this door. "Ah, look. The school bell will ring soon," he looked at his wrist watch then to Luki. "It will be really _nice_ if people see you like that. You look fucking delicious."

Mikio combed his fingers through his red hair before slumping an arm on the brunet while they chorused a laughter. Even Gumo joined their fit. The three continued snickering with all their might and breath until they felt like happiness had hands choking them by the neck. The redhead and the brunet leaned back on the lockers and struck the doors with their balled fists.

"I...definitely commend you there. Shit. I can't wait to see how girls are gonna react when they see their _'innocent_ Luki' walking around the hallways like that." Mikio continued to pat Meito's back, still enjoying their fit of laughter there.

"He might get a girlfriend after this! I can't see why not, to be honest; he was literally a walking crotch," Meito laughed louder until the changing room was filled with their laughter alone.

Luki sighed as he listened to them, and he, too, was aware of that. This was completely degrading knowing that this body suit Gumo asked him to wear was hugging all the curves of his body. And it was pale beige, people would have mistaken him walking buck naked. It was just a bonus that he was fit, the days and nights of consistent exercises paid off. He wasn't exactly muscular, but he was fit...kind of lean, too.

"It is totally fine with me if Luki chooses to stay here and skip the class. I can ask Miku to come here and fetch him for us." Gumo grinned at him, and for a moment Luki was reminded that this moss-haired dude was a menace. People would always fall prey to his kind face but his personality was no angel. Gumo was such a two-faced shit. Using Miku to plot something more horrible was a proof.

"Ah, so _strawberry shortcake_ likes Miku?" Dell inserted, his voice ringing from the back of the room. His half-eaten chocolate almost dropped upon the mention of his cousin, Miku. After all, she was like a younger sister to him, despite being on the same age. He was a bit overprotective when it comes to Miku and his friends were aware of that. Dell glanced at the scenery from the window and studied the country's flag flaunting in the breeze, then said: "I actually like you for Miku, in that case. But if you're gonna walk 'round the school dressed like a _tutu-_ less ballerina, I'm not so sure anymore."

" _Tutu-_ less ballerina!?" Mikio and Meito repeated and went to another fit of laughter that almost drove them nuts. Luki could relate though, he knew just how funny he looked right now.

The pink-haired victim wanted to tell them that he was just friends with the belle. Well, he probably wasn't anymore. They moved up to a new level secretly. However, that seemed not the issue now as Meito and Mikio continued to enjoy their youth by taking pleasure at someone's misfortune. Sometimes he wondered how he ended up joining the company of these weird, obnoxious guys.

Gumo chuckled with Meito and Mikio, too, but he stopped doing so when he realized that he had to feign maturity and sensibility; and Luki hated it when he does that. Gumo was up to no good whenever he would fake intelligence over a matter especially when the situation was exceptionally stupid and childish. He cleared his throat and said, "You decide now, Luki. Stay here and let Miku find you. Or go out and finish this nonsense."

"You know, if you call it nonsense it makes me feel like I have the liberty to take this suit off." Luki laughed awkwardly, but when he noticed the cold and hard glares the guys were giving him, his laughter softened and vanished. "Haha...ha...ha..."

"Go on," Gumo encouraged him, nevertheless. "Go on and do so. But make sure to pay me two-hundred bucks, _pinky_. And if you're gonna pay me, it must be today." There was a glint of eminence in his face, sly Gumo always winning it all when it comes to bets. For a moment the room stayed still, until Luki let out a sigh and his arms raised across lowered to his sides.

He didn't really have a choice right from the beginning, aye? First, he couldn't risk getting seen by Miku at such state, not really after they got together just last night. Basically their status was a secret to anyone, so it didn't surprise him that Dell had no idea about them. Everyone was under the impression that he was attracted to the girl, and that was all. It would be better and safer that way, especially when she was this popular. Like Luki, she got a flock of fans, too. Fanboys, though. Second, he would totally lose his innocent-boy reputation. No, this bet was outright humiliating because Gumo chose it well. Screw him. That seaweed knew how awkward Luki was with people, so he meant all this to happen. Perhaps Gumo intended to give people the wrong impression that Luki wanted to be a stripper. Lastly, he was too broke to pay him two-hundred bucks. His mom didn't give his allowance for the entire week after being caught on his late night trips. He was sneaking out of the house to treat Miku an ice cream _in the middle of the night_ , for Pete's sake, when his elder sister, Luka, caught him. Since he wouldn't give in to his sister's demands, Luka told their mom about it the next morning. Now, he was suffering for that.

"Fine," Luki sighed and scratched the back of his head. "But can I change into something else? Some sort like batman costume or something? This is really embarrassing, in case you don't notice."

"Dude, he's asking for Batman costume! Give him a speedo instead," Meito cried in tears as he continued to laugh. "Man, this is so fun."

"You're way too happy about this, Meito. You love to see me suffering, huh?" he tried to smile be positive about this dare. Luki just received another laughing fit. Dell just winced and watched the four as Gumo pulled out a _The Flash_ costume instead, making Mikio and Meito the most joyous people in the whole planet that very second.

"Red suit and pink hair. He looks like a strawberry ice cream now," Dell popped the remaining chocolate in his mouth and munched quietly. How did things end this way again? Oh, right. Luki lost a bet with Gumo. Why did he have to race with Gumo in their swimming class, anyway? Gumo was basically a beast in any sport.

* * *

"The world must be ending," Len Kagamine, Miku's best friend, said as he pulled the girl with him. He also grabbed and held his younger sister, Rin, in place to keep her away from the surge of girls. A few minutes ago, right after the lunch bell rang, the whole cafeteria was shaken by what seemed to be a swarm of fangirls. "I don't think we can buy something here, Miku."

"Len, let me go! I have to see this! I can't afford to miss this freaking show!" Rin tried to escape from her brother's arm but Len held her in place.

"Seriously, you're so naive. Stop obsessing about those guys. They're no good models, you know?" the elder brother rolled his eyes and busied himself to keep Miku by his side, too. Why, it was hard to discipline like...two whining sisters? "You as well. Don't tell me you idolize those brats?"

Miku chuckled awkwardly quite unsure how she would respond to her best friend. Did he just insult them? "You know that my cousin is one of them. Right, Len? They're not that bad."

"Yeah, agree. I bet Len's just jealous 'cause those guys are really hot together. While he, he'll just rot and die unpopular to girls." Rin made a face to her brother and quickly escaped his grip. She hid herself behind Miku, knowing that Len wouldn't try to tackle her when Miku was used a human shield.

"I'm your brother and senior, Rin. Stop badmouthing me."

"Not happening," the blond girl let out a victorious laughter as she gave him a sly look.

Len decided to ignore his annoying sister and decided to look at the crowd instead. Girls were still yelling and drooling, and he couldn't see what Gumo and the gang was up to. His group was pretty popular in the school, and yet that never meant Len liked their guts. Luki and Dell were the only people with straight thinking in that group.

"I just don't understand why you have to hook up with him when he's with those scatty brats," the blond ran his fingers through his hair, heaving a deep sigh. Yes, he knew that Miku's dating Luki secretly. He was the first one to know that Miku got a crush at him, perhaps.

"Who's hooking up with whom?" Rin's ears perked up upon hearing that. No, maybe she was interested because her brother sounded...something he usually wasn't. Overprotective. Yep, that would fit.

"No one!" Miku quickly dismissed, waving off her question as the screams intensified. A fist quickly crashed against Len's arm, but it was rather a weak for a punch to hurt the blond. She mouthed him to shut up. That time then, the three saw the green-haired jerk in the middle of the crowd. Moreover, he was walking with the whole gang...with Luki in the center. _Wait_. Miku rubbed her eyes, afraid that she was seeing things incorrectly. Her boyfriend's was all red...and he was...wearing a superhero costume?

"See? They're nuts." Len mumbled and tried to cover Rin's mouth, so just to lessen the noise pollution. "Rin! Shut up, you girl. What the hell! Have you not seen a guy in your entire life!? Shut up!?"

"It's raining testosterone here!" Rin yelled, pushing Len's hand away. "Kyaa~"

Miku felt her face redden as she watched Luki walked past them, his head almost stopping. Well, he didn't lie about being fit or something, however she didn't like how he was displaying it to everyone. She flustered though, realizing what she just thought. It was kind of possessive, but really, there was a pang in her chest as she thought of that.

Len wasn't able to stop Rin when she ran away to join the crowd. The exact scenario was like Len let a chicken escaped him, eh. Sighing, he stood next to his best friend and put an arm on her shoulders. "Yep, you don't need to eat lunch anymore. You're already full."

"W-what!?" she gasped, a look of disbelief spread on her face.

"Yeah, saw you staring at him. Delicious, isn't he?"

"Len!"

The blond laughed and told her he was just kidding.

* * *

"About earlier..." Luki couldn't look at her in the eyes, perhaps afraid that she would laugh at him. That was the most embarrassing moment of his life, undoubtedly. Furthermore, the whole school just saw him in that superhero costume. What the butt. "I wish a hole would suddenly appear and take me away from Gumo that moment. I felt so...ugh."

"I-I think it isn't that bad," Miku shyly muttered as she lowered herself to sit next to him. It was ten in the evening now, and the two of them were hanging out by the shore in their town. She told her parents that she would visit the Kagamine's place and probably spend a night there since it was a weekend. Of course that was a lie; she already called Len up and warned him to go along with her excuses.

Luki turned and met her gaze. Even under the night sky, he could still make her face in the dark. For a moment, it was the crashing waves that filled the silence between them. When Miku seemed to fidget, uncomfortable with the stare he was giving, he looked elsewhere.

Miku chuckled lubberly, "I guess I'm not fine with people seeing you like that. I just...no, I'm being selfish. Sorry."

Again, the crashing waves did the talking. The fine grains of the sand appeared to be melting underneath their feet while the cold breeze embraced them. Miku shivered at that wind blow, and she began thinking of heading to Rin and Len now. Maybe Luki did not expect that she would say something like that.

"Sorry, I should have asked Dell to help you there. Anyway, it's getting late. I need to head to Len's house. Mom might give him a call anytime."

"No, wait up," Luki grabbed her arm and pulled her back. The cold breeze and the crashing waves were forgotten then. "I...I like it if you'll say that again."

"What? Mom's gonna call anytime?"

"No, the selfish-thing."

"Eh?"

Miku was not able to do as he requested when he inched closer to her, sealing their lips with a kiss. The world must be ending, she thought. It was too warm of a sensation, his lips were burning against her lips. It was gentle at first, like the wind caressing her bare skin. However, she felt his hand to cup her cheeks, his fingers tangled with her hair briefly as he tried to keep their lips together. Still, they moved in sync, each savored the flavor that they would only taste there. He began teasing her with those suggestive nibbling, but she wanted to keep this memory sweet, not steamy. Pulling away, she gasped for air.

"It makes me happy that you want me all to yourself," Luki mumbled as he slowly untangled his lips from hers, but as he talked his lips were still grazing hers. "It makes me really happy."

Miku's face was burning hot now. She was thankful that it was dark, though. Well, that was her first kiss and she was caught off guard. It was a quick, passing phase, too; she hoped to enjoy it a little more but...yeah. Miku pulled away from him, however he tried to keep her. She laughed awkwardly, (she always does) and apologized if she needed to go now. Without another word, she fled away from him.

It felt weird. She was weird. This was insane. Tonight was basically the first night of them being together as sweethearts, but she didn't expect that they would be that intimate. It was too soon! Besides that, she was too honest. She didn't mean to show Luki that she was kind of possessive since it might scare him away, _and yet_...

Miku panicked as she jogged towards the house in sight, knowing that Len had opened his window to let her in any moment. Those thoughts bugged her head though, and it seemed that it wouldn't be left at peace any time soon.

* * *

 **request:** **how about Luki/Miku? Some reversed fanservice; with tight male bodysuit, girls drooling and Miku jealous followed by aggressive making out, might be fun.**

* * *

 **a/n.** _i seriously messed up with this one (as usual, sigh). im deeply sorry._

 _\- ivan, the failure._

 _p.s. i keep inserting lenku anywhere wtf_


	15. EDEN part III

**EDEN**

\- Part III -

* * *

It was too early in the morning when Rin decided to leave her bed. Leaving her bed was a difficult task, if she would be asked. Basically, she couldn't do anything without anyone's help, hence she was fairly aware that her presence in the selection was kind of a burden to their House. She was no fool. The looks people had given her back in their home were way too obvious to be ignored. All of them were worried that she, Rin Summers, the crippled daughter from the lineage of the late king, might get hurt in the selection. Well, they seemed more worried which of the Summers would take the throne. She didn't mind all those things, though. For a pacifist such as she, Rin was more concerned in the peaceful selection the _consejo_ promised, that no one would lose another life just to claim the throne – a faux pas she blindly believed.

Crippled, that was she. Nevertheless, only her upper body, waist up, was mobile. Her legs were too weak to support her even when standing so she fully relied on her wheelchair in order to move around wherever she was. Sadly, due to the rules of set by the _consejo,_ Houses were not allowed to employ any servants. All chores must be taken care of by the members of the house, regardless of the area of one's shelter. Other words, not even her own nanny could help her move herself to her wheelchair.

The blonde untucked herself from the blanket, and then leaned to the headboard to drag her legs out of the bed. When her legs dangled on the sides of the bed, she heaved a sigh. Doing that alone tired her quickly, she wondered if she could sit herself properly on her wheelchair. It wasn't even near her now. The blonde looked around the room, squinting her eyes in the dimness of the room until she found her wheelchair two meters away from her.

"No one's here," she sighed, brushing her fringe away from her eyes. Her brother and cousin's room were located two hallways away from her, so she really couldn't call out to them. She could ring the bell, but wasn't that asking so much? Len was worried about other matters. She shouldn't add on his stress.

Rin was about to go back to sleep when she heard her door creek as it opened. She watched carefully as a barefoot stepped in, its long nightgown circling two inches above its ankle. Then stepped in the other foot, and Rin looked up to see who was this person.

"Good morning, Lady Rin," her long teal hair seemed like a waterfall cascading as she curtseyed to the blonde.

"Lady Miku!" Rin exclaimed. "Did I...did I bother your sleep? What brings you here?" She knew that Miku's room was right next to her, however she was not really familiar to her like Rinto. Rin had not spoken to her even once after Miku arrived in the mansion, for the teal-haired noble busied herself in practicing with Rinto in using swords, while Rin was never left unaccompanied by her brother. Len did not spare a minute talking to either Rinto or Miku ever since _Eden_ began.

"I figured out that you're awake. I want to help you. Is there any place you want to visit now? The sun won't rise until six. It's only half past four," Miku walked to the corner, fetching Rin's wheelchair from where it was. "I was informed by Sir Rinto that you would often rise too early to have a stroll. And you would usually do it with your elder brother. Would you like me to call Sir Len for you?"

"Please, no," Rin smiled, reaching out to touch Miku's hand when she was within the breadth. "I don't want to trouble him. Not while we're in a crucial selection. I hope this won't be asking a lot from you but...Lady Miku, can you stay by my side? I really can't do anything by myself."

They were all lies, of course. She had troubled her brother enough. Len kept insisting his disinterest to the throne despite Rin's encouragement. He claimed that he valued Rin's safety more than anything, and he couldn't care less if Rinto and Lady Miku would hurt themselves once the _consejo_ decided for the first task. Right from the start, Len explained matters to his sister. When the messenger of the House of Eden escorted them from their manor, Len made it clear that he was going to the selection just for formality. He renounced his claim long before, so nothing would change his mind – no one would, not even Rin.

"I'll be glad to do so, only if you will fix that attitude of yours first," Miku leaned down and swept up the crippled blonde from the bed, then put her down to the wheelchair. Rin was giving her a bewildered look, that kind of face asking what wrong she did. "Don't get so worked up. I am meaning to ask you to halt your negative thoughts. I really don't want to help people who think they're helpless. If you will keep on thinking that you aren't capable of doing anything, then I don't think I can be of any help to you, too. If you don't want to believe in yourself, then I don't have any reason to help you."

Rin looked up to her, but she saw nothing more than a face where shadows cast. It was too dark, she couldn't make what expression this Lady from the House of Unschuld had. "That is a strange way of motivating people, Lady Miku." The blonde chuckled and let out a sigh afterwards. "Do you not like me because I am what I am?"

"I don't intend to uplift you, either. I have no intention of motivating you, Lady Rin. I just wish you'll talk and think more positive about yourself. And no, I like you. You painfully remind me of someone who's very hard on oneself." Miku pushed the lady out of the room, and quietly they went down a ramp that brought them to the vast reception area of the House of Aurum.

"Pray tell me, Lady Miku. Can you read minds?" Rin glanced at the tall portraits hanging on the wall, the classic paintings of the founding families who established not only the House of Aurum, but also the House of _Eden._ She caught sight of a portrait of man and woman hanging on the far end of the hall. It was quite a distance so she really couldn't see their faces. But one thing was for sure, the man was blond and the woman had the same hair like Miku. They must be Miku's forefathers. "I heard that each house has a supernatural gift. Whether that gift is an advantage for the house or not, it really depends on how they use it."

"No, I can read hearts not minds. I hear what the mind refuses to say," Miku whispered in reply, pushing the wheelchair to a different corridor. "And no house has distinct supernatural gift, Lady Rin. Those individuals _serving_ the houses, they do. Apparently for the House of Aurum, no one was blessed with that gift."

"But you can read hearts?" Rin insisted, raising a hand so she could touch Miku's hand as the teal-haired girl pushed her around. It was a habit she grew accustomed to, to hold someone's hand to assure herself that she wasn't really alone wherever she would go. After all, the world was a tad cruel to people with disability like her.

"It's a metaphor," Miku patted her head for a short while. Though she told the blonde that it was just a metaphor – that she could read hearts – perhaps there was a little truth in those words.

"How saddening," mumbled Rin. The two felt the cold breeze against their faces as they exited the backdoor in the kitchen. The sky was a black canvas with a smudge of blueness, adorned with the tiny glittering stars. It felt so peaceful while they stood under the moonless firmament. "This is a false image of peace," whispered the blond as she savored the tender caresses of the cool breeze. "Correct?" she opened an eye to glance at the quiet lady.

Miku was a fine lady. It was her taciturnity that gave her the look of a refined lady. Rin had been observing the older lady for a while now, and from a distance she would always watch how Miku would shower the ballroom with grace as she would slowly defeat Rinto in their duel. Whether in a dress or in pants, Miku looked so beautiful. What the blonde girl disliked about Miku was her lack of expression. Sure, she was a woman of lofty beauty, but her face and eyes remained stoic like a statue. It was as if she forgot how to feel. On one hand, Rinto mentioned it once that Miku was as old as him and Len, and that still surprised Rin. The members of the House of Aurum were all five years older than her.

The trees rustled as the wind blew; it sounded more like hushed whispering of people rather than rustling in reality. Miku stared at the glistening water cascading from the fountain in the centre of the garden with full-bloomed roses surrounding it. This was a nostalgic place for her – she knew by heart how the trees would rustle and the breeze would blow at this time of the day. It happened long ago, here in this place too. She asked the same question Rin just asked her – to a person who might have kept her heart if only he lived, and Miku could still remember _his_ answer and the truth in his words.

"No," replied Miku, her leaf green eyes gazed somewhere far. She wanted to believe that he would come back, that behind those tall trees he would emerge. But the trees continued to sway and no one appeared from the foliage.

"All I have been hearing from you is your disapproval," the blonde chuckled. She never met someone as blunt as Miku before, and so far this wasn't the nicest first conversation with someone—and yet this was the most honest. Indeed, this was her first time speaking to Miku Unschuld.

"The _consejo_ just dropped a letter in the doorstep a few minutes before you woke up. Prepare for the first task tomorrow; This is a brief moment of serenity, Lady Rin. A huge mess is waiting ahead at the breaking of dawn, until then you should cherish this peace. I am certain that the other Houses will not grant us the peaceful selection you are dreaming of," Miku spoke the exact words told to her, delivering it at the same manner it was spoken, _one century ago._


	16. Stardust: after story

**Stardust: (A Starlight after story)**

* * *

She woke up with a start. The waves crashed on the shore as the salty scent of the sea wafted in the night breeze. It was dark and cold, she was lying down on the shore all by herself, tiny grains of sand filling the spaces between her fingers. The entire beach was desolated and all she could recognize was the dead corals washed ashore. Though she was a bit underdressed for the weather, hence making her shiver, she never budged an inch. She was glued on the ground as if she had no control of her body.

Her chest heaved as she registered the fine grains of sand underneath. Her fists scrunched, feeling the slight dampness and softness of the sand and continued to play with the grains. Surely she was on the shore, she could hear the sea and feel it touching her ankles a little.

She remained still, immobile like a log. Her face was fixated to stare at the sky, and as she gazed at it she coud not help but shed a tear or two. There was no exact reason why tear up, she could not think of any, yet the warm tears continued to trickle down. It was melancholic to look at the night sky, seeing those stars where too much to take in by her pangful chest.

Raising an arm as though she was trying to reach the sky, words parted her trembling lips. "Where am I?" she asked, voice shaking. "Who am I?"

In silence she found the answer.

She was...no one.

* * *

"You must have gotten used to living here now, but...can I really leave shopping to you?"

A pair of warm blue eyes looked at her warily. She was aware that her offer would have startled him since this would the first time she actually volunteered to do the weekend shopping - or to do anything particularly. Heaving a sigh, she nodded. It must not take long to convince him, no?

"I can come with you so just be to sure. You can't blame me if I worry a lot, yes? This is just too sudden, I'm not prepared for that question," he said jokingly, his hand found the back of his neck. She could see through that humour nevertheless. This guy was too worried to let her go. He had been acting like an older brother or father to her, but in reality he was a hospitable host who took her in. She, the stray.

"It's not even a question, Kaito. It's an offer." She didn't mean to sound as dry as that, but it happened anyway. She only meant to help in her own little way, nothing too big. Why was fate not siding her whenever she would try acting sincere? "I don't want to be a burden in the household. I want to show you that I can help."

"That's not necessary at all. You're a guest," Kaito sighed and untucked the shopping list pinned on the fridge door. The unruly handwriting was surely Meiko's. Speaking of that woman, where was she? His wife was supposed to do the shopping today, so he wouldn't let anyone else take responsibility. No, not even their guest.

Her blue eyes followed him as he stood before the fridge, closely reading his expressions. Shoulders sagging, occasional sighing, face wrinkling - no, at this rate he wouldn't let her go. Why was he hesitant about handing the simple task to her? She was a grown-up, she could handle such thing. The grocery store was a short walk away from the house, there was nothing to worry at all.

"Actually, I've been staying here for over a month. I don't know if you really still think of me as a guest rather than an orphan - I can't remember who I am, where I'm from - so, to return your kindness, let me do Meiko's shopping."

"You speak so formal," he chuckled, waving his hand in the air to dismiss the choking formality going on in here. "This house is welcome to all kind-hearted people like you. Taking you in isn't a burden, Miku. Don't take it that way."

"Then let me go," she insisted, amplifying her voice a little to make her sound eager. Well, she really was. This young couple was making her feel like a useless adolescent when she completely looked like a young adult. She guessed she was eighteen or something older, and Meiko told her that she looked like one, too. This time, Kaito gave in and handed her the shopping list. He went on a tirade of reminders about the things she was really worst – crossing the streets and asking with politeness, and the man did not stop until he was practically walking her out of the yard.

"You sound like a father," Miku interrupted him, her statement caught him off guard.

Kaito chuckled, blushing a little on how he went overboard. "Well, maybe I really want to be one."

She watched him look away, his shoulders slumping down. Without any warning, Miku blurted out what she guessed was true. "Don't worry. Meiko's carrying a life in her belly."

Miku left the man flustered. He ran back inside the house, and perhaps he gave his wife a call. And while Miku enjoyed how joyous her guardian became because of the news, she picked her way to shop.

Who she really was before the couple found her on the shore remained unknown until today. She fed herself with lies, that her memories would come back soon, and she continued feeding herself so. These past days made her feel want to end such illusion; she just wanted to remember who she used to be. Miku asked herself oftentimes, if she liked the starry night as much as she liked it now. She wondered if she liked high places in the past too. It would be nice if she could meet her old self.

Miku looked down from the edge of road, pushing herself against the railing while glancing at the shore. The waves crashed on the shore, removing all prints left by the birds and people. Miku sighed, remembering how she woke up on the same scenery. Closing her eyes, she stretched her arms in the air and savored the cool breeze.

The wind lifted her teal hair from her shoulders, fluttering behind her. Miku wished the wind could whisper her identity, but again all her thoughts were futile. The shopping list Kaito had given her slipped from her hand and drifted in the wind, and she never chased that piece of paper. The wind blew harder, and Miku felt like the wind was asking her to reach out for the invisible arms of the wind. She continued to balance herself on the ledge while the wind blew harsher every second. Moving forward, Miku felt the cold railing pressing against her waist.

" _Fuck,_ don't jump!" Miku's eyes fluttered open when she felt arms to wrap on her waist. In one strong pull, she was dragged away from the ledge. "Life is so precious, you see! If you don't have a will to live, man, I'm gonna give you one! Just don't kill yourself!"

Annoyance boiled her blood as her hands instantly clawed on the fair arms around her waist. If this person was trying to save her, well, he had the most unconvincing words there.

"Will you please let me go!?" Miku buried her nails deep in his skin and looked around to see who was ruining her little moment with her thoughts.

His blond fringe almost got in her eyes, and just then she realized just how close he was. Miku was lost in those azure eyes that looked like the sea. And it seemed like she was not the only one surprised.

"Miku?"

"How did you know my name?" Miku stopped clawing him, and instead she tried removed herself from him through pushing his arms. "Who are you?"

And before she could get an answer, another person came into view. The black-haired guy fell on his knees as he pushed the bike aside. He was panting way too hard, perhaps he was unused to the slope in this place.

"What the hell, Len? Why did you run away from your sister and I–" he stopped talking when he saw the girl in Len's arms. "Miku?"

The girl gulped, confusion evident on her face. A moment ago, she was asking the wind to whisper to her _who she used to be._ Her voice quivered as she asked, "Do you...really know who I am?"

* * *

 **a/n.** _this is based on the story allechant and i wrote together before._ _lololol. dunno, just random stuff. an after story of starlight. OKAY that explains it._


	17. The Stepbrother

**The Stepbrother**

* * *

Miku did not _hate_ nor _fear_ evenings since she had them every day. Though there was a particular aspect in this time of the day she was not _so_ into. Usually it would happen _when_ the night seemed dead.

Once again, it was nighttime so she lit up her lamp with a match and looked for her way back to the attic. Her household works were all done for today; everything on her list was accomplished, including the part where she would put her stepsister to bed. Though her step-siblings were of same age like her, eighteen, their mother was rather specific about Miku's duty as a... _maid._ Albeit her children were grownups, she wanted Miku to look after them as though they were toddlers – and Miku detested that part of her duty.

Her boots squeaked at her every step, irritating her to utmost since even the most unnoticeable noise was a big fuss to her stepmother. So instead of complaining, she made sure to get through the hallway, passing by her stepmother's room as quiet as possible. Countless times she stumbled here and there, losing her balance over a head of a nail poking out from the wooden floor. Miku almost knocked down the vase when she tripped on her stepmother's cat sleeping on the corridor, and she could only bite her tongue to avoid screaming in disgust. If there was something she hated about this house aside from her, er, step-family, it was their cat–the meanest cat in the history–Rei.

"Get out o' the way, kitty!" she yelled in a whisper, shooing the fat black cat away. When the cat lazily yawned and moved aside, snuggling next to wall, Miku continued to walk stealthily.

The grandfather clock had echoed its cried then, signaling the midnight. Sure, it was tiring to stay up late like this, but she could not afford leaving the dishes and kitched untidy, or else her stepsister and stepmother would double her hardship for tomorrow's work.

Miku went inside her room, the dusty attic filled with the old furniture and things. She knew this place enough, it was where her late parents kept the things they were not using anymore. Her father often warned her about the spiders and rats and mice just to keep her out, but when she moved here, age fifteen, the spiders and rats and mice were her only friends...or so she thought.

She quickly put down her lamp on her old bedside table, and waltzed to rest her aching body on her wobbly couch. It was all that she got, no bed and no pillows. Her stepmother was generous enough to give her a mat where she could sleep on, but on cold weather, she would drag the mat next to the tiny fireplace since she had no blankets too. The morning she woke up, she was covered with cinder.

A sigh parted Miku's lips as soon as she rested her back on the soft couch. Though the furniture was a bit unstable, she was thankful for it. It was more relaxing to sit on this than to kneel on the ground and scrub the floor. She let out another sigh when she reminded herself of the tremendous work she just finished. Her life before her stepmother came into picture was totally different. She was the princess of the house, not exactly the spoilt brat, but she was not in charge of _all_ house chores. They had maids and gardeners to do that, but when her father joined her mother in the heaven, her stepmother made her life miserable. _Mostly._

Miku felt a pair of gentle hands lifting up her feet, slowly removing the filthy boots from them. She gasped, hurriedly rising from lying, and faced the person who did that for a mere servant like her. The lamp illuminated him well enough, his soft golden hair was tied in its usual single pigtail at the nape of his neck. He was dressed for bed, it was the exact dress shirt she gave him an hour ago. Miku quickly stopped him from removing her boots, her eyes wide and questioning.

"Len! What are you doing? If stepmother finds out what you are doing, I will be dead meat!" whispered Miku, removing her boots herself. "Hurry and go back to your room!"

He only smiled at her and remained kneeling in one knee. His blue eyes were glistening with joy and benevolence against the candlelight. Though she knew she must hate him since he was her stepbrother, she could not bring herself to. Len was different from his mother and sister. Unlike them, he never mistreated and humiliated her. Whenever his mother or sister was not looking, he would try and help her in everything.

Len flashed her an amused smile when she got rid of her boots. Miku moved aside to share a seat with him, knowing that he would not do as what she said. He always stayed whenever he had the opportunity to, and he also mentioned it once how much he enjoyed Miku's company.

"You should go to bed now. Stepmother knew that you were asleep, or at least you were supposed to be asleep by now." Miku looked sideways to meet his gentle eyes, only to see them lighting up with, what, joy?

"How can I sleep in peace when I know that my dear stepsister is overworking herself to tidy up the kitchen?" he asked back, gracefully taking the seat she offered him. The couch slightly shook as it cushioned him, and Miku caught how wary he looked as he sat down. "This is a dangerous couch, Miku. You need to get rid of this."

"Not when it is only the thing that relaxes me from my every day's work," she yawned, closing the gap between the two of them. She rested her head on his broad shoulder, the contact made him stiff. "I'm sorry if I dirtied your shirt," she quickly moved her head away from him, only to felt him pull her back.

"No, it is fine." He combed her hair with his fingers while he untied the handkerchief on her head. Miku's appearance, tidy or not, never bothered him. It just surprised him to see her comfortable with him like this, when usually she repulsed physical contacts. "I am deeply sorry if you have to go through all these hardship because of my sister and mother," he whispered, feeling genuinely sorry for her hard work.

She only hummed, eyes closed. Perhaps she was too worn out to respond, or maybe too tired from hearing his apologies. It was always him who would apologize for his mother and sister's wickedness. At some point, Miku wondered how Rin, Len's twin sister, get a brother like Len. He was too kind, too...pure, to join the evil mother-child tandem. Len was so different. He was her only _human_ friend in this house; he was the only person who showed her kindness from day to day.

"Miku," he whispered to her ear, his warm breath tickling her. "Are you tired?" _Oh, it was the time of the night now._ Len chucked her chin and turned her face towards him, and he ducked to peck her lips. His lips were soft and sweet, and she had gotten used to them. She forgot how many times they have shared a kiss – in secrecy, of course – but it was always Len who would demand for one. She was not fond of it, however, whenever Len would kiss her, the butterflies would just flutter in her stomach every now and then.

Miku fluttered her eyes open, fighting the slumber that was slowly succumbing her into. Her muscles were so tired of all the cleaning she had done today, but this man needed some scolding. "Len, go back to your room. You've gotten your goodnight kiss."

"I have not," he cooed, ducking once more to capture her lips. The Len with her tonight was different, he was quite aggressive. The usual sweet chaste kisses he would give her was replaced with a mischievous kiss–a kiss that was quite passionate, and yet sly. It was new to her. "This is," he said breathlessly before nipping on her lower lip. "This will not make me sleep at all."

The couch was wobbly. Len kept on pushing her to the edge until her back pressed against the armrest. He was hovering on her, his hands held her face as he continued kissing her. If they would continue kissing this way on the couch, it would be all over for her–er, for the couch.

"Stop," she mumbled fisting his shirt. "Enough, I'm getting dizzy."

"Why!? Are you sick? Why didn't you tell me?" he quickly pulled away and placed a hand on her forehead. "You're red. Tell me, how are you feeling? I thought so! I already told mother to stop giving you a heap of chores–"

Len was a worrywart. But maybe that was the good thing about him. After all, he was the only person who would treat her like a human in this house. Though basically he was her stepbrother, their relationship was anything but siblings. Miku was sure that she harbored romantic feelings for him, just that she did not sort it out _entirely._ Her stepmother would go berserk if she would learn that her handsome son was being enticed by a...filthy house maid, er, stepdaughter.

"I'm fine, Len," she laughed, trapping his face in between her palms. Miku liked his face so much, those cheekbones, and aristocratic nose, and his intellectual blue eyes...he was an open book. His emotions were always transparent. She pulled him down to kiss the tip of his nose. They exchanged a giggle as soon as she let his face go. "I'm extremely tired and I think I need to retire for tonight."

"I always think of you and I never get tired," he nuzzled into her neck, blowing breaths on its crook. He felt Miku shiver, her hands began clawing against his chest. "But I respect your decision tonight. Tomorrow, Mother and Rin will leave to attend the gathering in the palace. The Prince's birthday. I hope you aren't interested to be the prince's spouse?"

Miku watched him with eyes half-closes. She could see the worry-lines on his forehead, his brows almost knitted. "The prince will not pick a maid like me to be his wife. I won't be attending. You know Rin won't want me to."

Len ducked down again, his fingers started to twirl hair. His lips met hers, and he continued showering her jawline with butterfly kisses. "That's right," he mumbled seductively. "Because the prince must know you are mine."

She only chuckled and pushed his face away. _She was his?_ This guy was getting carried away. Miku did not know what exactly their relationship was, but it was beyond being step-siblings for sure. "I need to rest. You too. You have a grand ball to attend tomorrow."

"Miku, I will come back for you." Len leaned down again to kiss the side of her eyes. He flashed her a departing smile before leaving the attic.

When the door closed quietly after him, Miku clutched her chest and rested her head on her folded knees, mind pondering about this matter. Len would always shower her with affection she longed for, ever since her father passed away. Every night, Len would visit her quarters to check on her. Everything began with a simple chitchat, until it was replaced with physical advances. They never went beyond kissing, though. And all these acts were confusing the hell out of her.

It was the particular time of the night she was not so into. Len never once mentioned about what he really felt for her, no open declaration of love whatsoever, so she did not know how to handle her throbbing heart whenever Len would come this time of the night. Nevertheless, he was her stepbrother and her stepmother would not be glad to know what was going on between them.


	18. a brief note of rejection

**A brief note of rejection**

* * *

Dear Kagamine _,_

 _It did not surprise me to find a letter from you in my locker, since your friends were going around the campus telling that you had a crush on me. I wasn't blind to your uncalled-for concern towards me, but I must say 'twas flattering. It was flattering and it made me feel like I'm a special person (which I'm clearly not). Reading your letter repeatedly made my face flush, I admit, for you had loads of cheesiness packed inside a single sheet of paper. Nice. However, I was not fond of that._

 _I'm not the type of girl you can easily get with love letters..._

 _or flowers..._

 _or chocolates..._

 _or any presents at all._

 _I do not fall for words. Your usage of figurative language is commendable, nonetheless. But I'm not into it._

 _Perhaps you get it by now that I can't accept your feelings, and I won't accept your feelings ever. Trivia: I won't accept anyone's feelings at all._

 _There's a reason why the entire class calls me Artemis, you see? I'm capable of loving...in a platonic sense. But I simply can't imagine myself loving someone romantically because loving is something I always regard disadvantageous._

 _I appreciate it very much, and I see you as good classmate. Besides friendship, I can't offer anything higher than that. Thank you._

– Miku Hatsune.

* * *

"She's too formal. Freaking. Too. Formal." Meito gawked at the note before him.

Dell and Gumo suppressed their laughter for as long as they could hold it back, while Len and Meito stood gaping before the blond's locker. On it was a neat white paper tucked under a leek magnet, apparently a notice from the Student Council signed by its President. Or specifically, it was a rejection letter from the SC President, Hatsune Miku.

"Oh my freaking shit," Dell clutched his stomach as he stared at the notice stuck on Len's locker, its content exposed to anyone who would happen to pass by. His eyes were glistening with tears–out of joy–as he leaned next to Gumo, both of them laughing breathlessly. "Fix this dipshit, you mucus. I told you to dis–haha, what the fuck–courage Len from slipping that love letter in Hatsune's locker!"

"I'm sorry, okay," Gumo wiped his tears, reaching out to pat the blond's shoulder, sympathizing with the...er, his fall. Maybe it wouldn't hurt that much if she turned Len down, but doing it _publicly_ , using her influence as the SC President, now that was news. "Okay. Screw this nerdy, er, what's-her-name?"

Another guy fell on his knees right when he reached the four, his blond hair sticking on his forehead as the fringe was glued by his head. "Len! That...notice from the President...it's everywhere!"

"What do you mean everywhere, Lui!?" yelled Meito who seemed more pissed than the one dumped. "What the fuck's wrong with _her_?"

"W-well, it turns out that the SC President asked the council to reproduce the letters and post it in all bulletin boards. She just wanna make sure the news would get to him ASAP – said Ring," the blond flopped on the cold rows of lockers and heaved a sigh. "Seems the campus won't forget you, Len. Confessing to a dense bookish sort of girl is the wrong move, mate."

Gumo and Dell continued laughing while Meito scolded them for making fun of their friend. Len, on the other hand, was rather calm about it; he even plucked the note from his locker. This silenced the trio behind him though.

"She said it made her blush. That's great," he mumbled, smiling as he stared at the paper.

"This boy's gone nuts," whispered Dell.

The blond-reject turned and beamed at his friends. "That means _your_ myth isn't true, no? That the SC President is an ice queen?"

Gumo and Dell just threw another laughing fit, wilder and louder than earlier because they couldn't believe that their friend was pretty positive in a wrong sense. The other blond slumping on the floor just scratched the back of his head, pondering why the hell was he friends with these idiots again.


	19. The Stepbrother (Part II)

**The Stepbrother**

Part II

* * *

The dim room was filled with the scent of a burnt wick. The beeswax candle above the wooden desk was burning low, flickering at every seconds. A slow but steady melody resonated from the music box a few inches away from the candle, covering up the faint sobs that had been incessant for a good couple of hours. There was a soft, constant weeping which rumbled the room every time the music box would pause, but soon it would subside when the music resumed. If the portraits hanging on the wall could only talk, they would have complained about such uproar, for it was unmanly to cry like a child. But they were paintings of the dead, and what did they care about the young man burying his head on his arms and folded knees. His sobs continued - shoulders trembling - and it seemed like he wouldn't stop anytime soon. It was a cold, dark evening in the Teel Manor.

The windows were shut closed, but the scenery outside could be seen clearly. The lawn which used to be green was now pretty in white with its blanket of snow. The low grasses were now buried beneath the cold whiteness that was dark blue under the early evening sky. A few more steps away from the lawn, the street lamps were being lighted one after another by a coachman from the town hall through extending a wooden staff burning whose tip was burning end. His dark tweed coat did not warm his body enough, for as soon as he lit the high post, he went hurrying back to his horse-drawn cab. The stallions moved to the next post and came out the coachman again, illuminating the street lamp. The coachman drove the cab away - this time not stopping - since the job was over. The whole town of Marshey was out of the darkness. All thanks to him.

It was a mid-winter night, and unlike the ordinary winter nights, the small kingdom was celebrating the twenty-third birthday of the prince. Everyone in the kingdom was expected to attend tonight's celebration, giving every resident of the kingdom the right to enter the palace. It was also an opportunity for the young ladies to meet the handsome prince, because it was rumored that he was searching for a potential wife. Basically, the whole kingdom was busy while the time for the gates to open was nearing.

Back in the room where paintings of the dead hung and where the music box played, the door opened and came in a blond lady dressed in a fancy gown. Her ridiculous big dress circling her toes seemed like a parasol placed underneath her skirt. Women's fashion sometimes could be hard to understand, but who cared? Even at times when their clothing fad was odd, nobody really pointed out how unattractive such garments were. It was their so-called _fashion._ Her stoic blue eyes squinted as she studied the room, and it widened again when she saw the hump on the bed.

"Len," her voice, austere and cold, rang into the room as she paced near his bed. The small candle at the nightstand casted odd shadows across her whole being, emphasizing her straight nose. The look she was giving the man hiding underneath the sheets was too hostile, complementing her stern call. Nevertheless, it failed to summon the young man out of the bed. "Mother asks if you are coming along. Well, you are expected to attend the Prince's party since you are his classmate from a certain fencing class whatsoever. Get out of your bed and get dressed."

She heard him shift on his bed, and soon the thick blankets were pulled down, revealing a blond guy with identical features like hers. His hair, falling past his shoulders, was untidy like a bird's nest. She couldn't see much from where she was because the candle was burning low, despite her nearness to his bed. The shadows covered most of his face, and his intellectual blue eyes were the only things she could make out of his face. There was no need, however, for her to wonder how he looked, because they were identical siblings born from the same womb, at the same time.

"Then pass this message to Mother. I shall not see the prince because I don't feel fine," he scoffed, threatening to fall back on his bed again. "I know that you are after the prince, Rin. What do I care about your and His Majesty's marriage?"

She stomped a foot at his remark, displeased with his utterance. Stooping down so she could face him, so she could let him see her glower, her hand reached out and grabbed his collars. "You are to introduce me to him," said she, raising her voice a little. Her brows furrowed as she watched her twin to pull the sheets over him again, then he turned his back from her.

"He knew you already and I think you are a potential lover for him. I don't want to do anything tonight. I will stay here."

"And what?" her voice was surprisingly loud. There was no logical reason why she should snap at him, but maybe it was because of his stubbornness and overly exercised freedom for he could do whatever he wanted. Rin did not envy that freedom, though. There was something else she hated about her twin brother.

The night was getting colder as the candle threatened to die. The fireplace at the other side of his bed was now just red and dark coals, needing some new chunks of woods to burn. He would burn some woods later and get a new beeswax candle once his sister left him at peace. As seconds passed by the air grew colder-such coldness was biting his face even though he was tucked under his blanket-and he decided that he should burn wood chunks later.

"And what, Len?" she repeated. "You will be spending the night talking to that skivvy? Go ahead. I will tell Mother that you are being friendly with a menial girl, then she should be locked in the stables and die out of cold."

"You can't do that Rin. She is our sister," he closed his eyes and ignored her outburst. When Rin screamed _'no, she is_ step _sister',_ he untucked himself from his blanket and glared back at her. His twin's anger towards the said person didn't make sense to him, hence he could do nothing but pity their stepsister, always victimised by his family's pointless rage. "She has done nothing bad so stop telling Mother fraudulent accusations."

"Oh! I can, don't challenge me. I can tell Mother that you are fancying her. You will not see her if you let that hardhead of yours to rule over you," she turned around. "Do as you wish, Len. Do as you wish." That announced the departure of the sour lady from his room. Her heavy footsteps were gone after some seconds, and the door was slammed shut behind her.

Venomous words from a poisonous tongue. Len did not understand what happened to his sister. He wished he could comprehend their abusive treatment to their stepsister; he wished he could protect Miku from his mother and sister. Miku was rightfully the owner of this manor, but when her father died, roles had been reversed. He did not want this. Never.

The silence swallowed this somewhat dark pit, and the coldness began to numb his bare feet. The man rose from his bed and picked up the thumb-tall candle from his nightstand, walking towards the fireplace to throw in chunks of woods to keep it burning. It would be a boring evening, he supposed, for a minute later his mother was expected to come to his room and order him to dress for the ball. Every rule had its own exception, thus his freedom was not absolute when his mother was around.

He had given her his promise, nonetheless. Len knew that Miku was snuggling underneath her ragged and patched blanket, a thin smile was drawn on her face as she slept. He whispered to her yesterday that he should come back for her, and he knew he would be able to...no matter what.

* * *

 **a/n.** Why Len is crying here (and why he is acting like that towards Miku)...well, it has a deeper and darker story that sometimes I don't want to think of. I dunno. I think this falls under the twisted cinderella au. _a bientôt!_


	20. love letter

Dearest Miku Hatsune,

 _I know that love letters are outdated now, perhaps nobody does them anymore. But well, I still do. Guess they are right – that love makes us do something stupid._

 _I really don't know how what to say here, but of course it is supposed to be a confession. You know, maybe I should start on how I fell in love with you. You spilled coffee on me on the first day of school, remember? You were cool and collected all the time, you did not even apologize when you spilled the coffee on me. When I told you that an apology was all I needed—I'm being cocky that time, but it didn't work on you—you answered, "The damage has been done, a_ sorry _can't change anything." I was late in my first class because you offered to buy me a change of clothes. You even walked me to my class, saying that you would explain everything to my teacher. I had no clue you were the SC president. Beginning that day, I watched you and admired you from afar._

 _You didn't ask for my name. Whenever we would meet anywhere in the class, you would only nod at me. No smile, no '_ hey _' or whatever. You ignored my existence and you made me feel so worthless. It hurt my soul to see that the girl I like could only give me a nod whenever we would meet in the hallway. You treated me like a ghost, while you were someone who didn't have ESP or third-eye. I was about to give up that time. All I wanted was to befriend you, and yet like a star light-years away, you were out of my reach. However, everything changed when you found me in the same cafe. We weren't friends or anything but you sat opposite to me and started to talk about the projects SC proposed. I told you my speculations; I spoke what most of the students would probably think of your projects. One meeting was followed by another—until we spent weekends together, discussing ideas for various events._

 _It was Valentine's Day when a random question slipped out of my tongue._ "Have you been in love before, Miss President?" _You shook your head no. Love was something that would inconvenience you, you said. Maybe if you would give it a shot—if you'd give me a chance, I'll try proving you wrong. "_ Then say, Miss President. Hypothetically speaking, do you like me?" _I would never forget the pondering look on your face after I asked, and god, I had seen that expression on you before but never this pretty. Your cheeks were pink and it made me proud that I was able to make you blush. I wanted you to be that pink rose I would greet first in the morning, but I wouldn't put you on my nightstand. I would lay you next to me._

"Maybe," _was all you said, but it was enough to make me feel like I am in cloud nine._

 _I could not pretend to be a good friend anymore. I think I am smitten and you are to be blamed, so please take responsibility—no, that's asking too much. You make my heart race and my pupils dilate (Meito told me that whenever you were around, that my pupils dilate). The sweaty palms I got whenever you would sit close to me, and the crazy churning in my stomach when you would smile... I never thought that someone could make me feel sick like this. Loving someone feels like having cholera. I love you but not the way Romeo loved Juliet. They were fools, we were not. I love you because...I love you._

 _This is really embarrassing but...will you go out with me?_

 _Your...friend,_

 _Len K._

* * *

 **request:** **now i wanna read that love letter. i wanna know what cheesy stuff was written there owo**

* * *

 **a/n.** Not exactly as cheesy as Miku said but—what the butt is cheesy for a dedicated SC Pres Miku? It was Len's thoughts of her that made her think 'twas cheesy. SORRY, never tried writing a love letter for someone before (agrees with miku that love is pretty inconvenient. Let's go platonic.)


	21. The Stepbrother (Part III)

**The Stepbrother**

Part III

* * *

The moon was young tonight so the stars shone brightly across the sky. Billions of tiny stars spread across the ink black heavens, glittering like numerous candles lit up in the air. It was a cold evening, not surprising for a winter night, but despite the icy weather, the celebration for the prince's birthday continued.

Len sat glumly somewhere in the courtyard, eyes glued on the houses downhill from the castle where he was right now. Behind the leafless trees whose branches extended in the sky like bony hands, he could see an overlooking view of the kingdom. Only the lampposts were illuminated this evening, no houses had their lamps lit on their gates. Nevertheless, he expected just as much, for the prince generously invited everyone to come and celebrate with him.

Everything was visible from here, he could even see the Teel Manor. Len could not stop thinking that it was such a pretty lonely sight, for he never considered this kingdom a happy one at all. People were wearing masks, not literally since the party held was a masquerade ball. Everyone's life in here was nothing but a lie. His life included, because in the first place, they never owned the Teel Manor.

The blond glanced up to the sky, lifting up the glass of wine to his lips. The evening was really nice and festive, it was such a waste since Miku was not here with him. The music played by the palace's musicians could be heard even from the outside, so was the laughter and all merrymaking villagers of whatever status were making. Everyone was happy, and it was annoying him. Taking a sip of his wine, he let out a deep sigh as he lowered the glass. He was not enjoying his time here at all.

"I believe that my fairest friend over here is not fancying my party," a man stood beside Len, his butterfly mask was darker under the moonless sky. Len remembered it had a velvet shade of blue under the chandeliers. The man raised his glass of wine to the blond with a smile on his lips, and Len bowed at him instantaneously.

"Your Highness," Len looked up to him and watched as the prince took off his mask. His hair, dark as the night sky, fell loose above his ears. "What are you doing here?"

"I told you, call me by my name. We're friends, drop the formality. You know, that's my line. What are _you_ doing here?" The prince beamed at him, his eyes glistening with humour. "I'll take that you don't enjoy the women...just the wine."

"I certainly do not, Kaito. You know why," replied the blond, lifting his glass again to take a sip. Indeed, a platoon of fancy dressed woman had tried asking him out for a dance, but he refused each of them, saying that he was no good I'm dancing. That might be true, however, he simply didn't like going out here and leaving Miku alone in the manor. The two of them quietly admired the night sky for a good half minute, but the tranquil silence was broken when the blond spoke again. "I do not mean to be rude, Prince. If you wish for my honesty, and then I will give you a piece of my mind. I planned to stay at home tonight. If it wasn't because of my sister, I wouldn't come."

The prince let out a low chuckle. "I know you will say that. It is because of the girl, no? Why don't you go home and call it a day, Len? I will take care of your mother and sister if ever they look for you."

"That might be asking a lot, Kaito. I don't think you can hold them up until the party is over," he smiled sadly.

"I can, believe me. I like your sister since forever so I might as well tell her what I feel for her. Won't that make your sister and mum occupied? A prince's confession always blows up people's mind," the prince winked at him and proposed a toast. "Go ahead and spend the night with your lover."

Len winced his head, a bemused smile plastered on his face. "You make it sound like we're going to enjoy ourselves while mother and Rin are away."

"Why, aren't you? That's a rare chance."

"Whatever you say, Your Highness. But thank you very much," Len handed him his glass. "I apologise if I have to ask you to return this one. I can't wait to go back in the manor."

The prince took it from his hand willingly and shooed him away. "You are my friend, anything for you. Why don't you hurry now so you can spend some more alone time."

"Farewell and happy birthday," Len bowed before turning around.

"So long."

(LBreak)

The thudding of the horse hooves against the cold, frosty ground echoed in the empty alleyways. The entire town was deserted, but Len was under the pretence that people just went to be early. Like a prince mounted on a white horse, he hurried back to the manor to spend the night with his _beloved_ stepsister. His long, midnight blue coat fluttered behind him as the horse dashed through the snow. His mask was still on his face, covering half of his visage. There was no time to remove them, he thought, for as soon as the prince asked him to go back, he left.

The coldness of the air hurt his face, but he couldn't care less. There was a jovial smile on his lips, and as the horse ran quicker, he couldn't take it off. He was genuinely happy that finally, _finally_ his chance had come. He passed by rows and rows of brick houses until he reached the mouth of the clearing, the undergrowth was snowcapped. There was a line of leafless trees ahead. Seeing it made him beam wider; he knew he was almost there. Len turned around to glance at the palace uphill, the lights were still bright. It was the Prince's birthday so he was supposed to receive gifts. The blond could not believe that the prince, his friend, gave him this night as though it was a gift from him to him.

"Like a fairy godmother, eh?" Len chortled and tightened his grip on the reins. He whipped the horse so it would run faster, and for sure in no time, he would reach the manor.

(LBreak)

It was ghost-quiet when he reached the manor. Not a single candle was illuminated in the house, so he guessed Miku obediently stayed in the attic as what his mother told her. He knew how cold it was there since he would oftentimes sneak in her quarter to watch her sleep. It was chilly there especially in the midnight.

Putting the horse in the stables far behind the house, Len heaved a sigh. He took the lamp burning low which hung on the gates of the animals' abode. The snow started to fall now, and he didn't plan to freeze more out here. So he scurried towards the house without a word or sigh.

Len easily moved inside the house despite the darkness. He walked up to the stairs making no noise for he knew which part of the floorboard would creek once he stepped on it. His late night wandering experiences finally got into use, and now he felt so stealthy as a ghost. The blond left the lamp on the coat-rack standing before the stairs. He made sure to blow the fire before leaving it behind. He walked past his room and went up straight to the attic.

The smile, his smile, it had been on his face ever since the ride back here. He was glad he was back soon. The blond pushed the door open, softly and quietly, letting his mask rest somewhere inside the attic. But no fire was blazing on the tiny fireplace, and the mattress on the floor had no lump in it. Where was she?

Len felt his palms moistening. Miku would not go to the ball, would she? She told him that she had no interest to take the prince as spouse, assuming her place as a maid. But then again, he couldn't rid of the possibility that she actually went to the palace when they left the manor earlier.

"Miku, where are you?" He ran downstairs to get a change of dress, mind still trying to comprehend where she could have gone to. His slammed his door open and brashly lit up the candle on his nightstand. In his surprise, he heard a grumbling next to him. The blond loosened his tie and proceeded to remove his coat. Miku was dozing off under his sheets, her serene expression softened the creases in his forehead.

"I was worried," he mumbled, lowering his forehead until it touched hers. "Miku, I'm back. I am here as promised."

She stirred, wakened by the cold hand on her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open and saw rich golden locks hindering her vision. Alarmed by his sudden appearance, she jotled up to sit, hurting Len and herself at the same time. "I...I'm sorry! I thought...I thought you won't be back till dawn so I - I...I thought it's fine to sleep here…because it's cold up there...and - and I...I don't want to wake u-up covered with cinder...because...I - you, no I mean…"

Len chuckled at her stammering and shushed her by placing a finger on her lips. Her hair was messy but it was the first he saw her wearing it down. She looked clean tonight, perhaps she enjoyed her time bathing because no one would boss her around. Her night dress was neat too, and it was one he never saw before.

"You look pretty tonight." He smiled, bringing his hands on her shoulders to give it a gentle squeeze.

"I...I don't," she looked away, abashed with his out of the blue compliment. "You look…" she glanced at him quick as a split-second before looking elsewhere again. "You look princely, too. I can't say that earlier because stepmother is watching over us as I dress you up."

"Well, thank you." He leaned forward to kiss her lips. He'd been thinking of kissing of those lips since the morning came.

"Is stepmother and Rin back? I will head back to the attic now. I don't want them to see me here," she tried to sit but Len pushed her back, the two of them crashing down on his soft bed. "L-Len! I hope you realise that we are in trouble if they find us here! Like this!"

She felt him wound his arms on her waist, his face, that angelic and pretty face, nuzzled on her neck. His soft hair was tickling her, so she ended up giggling as Len continued to snuggle. He was always like a child.

"If they didn't find us, we won't be in any trouble. Am I correct?" he asked, untangling himself from her and propping up his elbows so he was completely above her.

"Certainly," she stammered, breath hitching as she lost herself in his half-opened eyes. His eyes looked darker rather than blue this evening. "It's about time you let me go."

He took her by surprise when he pulled her up. The next thing she knew was she was straddling him by the waist. Her face flushed like cherries as she realised the indecency of their position. Her dress was riding up to her knees, and she shivered at the cold air.

"No one's coming home tonight," he whispered, his hand slipping under her dress. His cold hands gently squeezed her thighs and continued to travel up to her tiny waist. His touch was making her shiver more.

"I...you, w-what?"

He did not say another word. Her question was neglected as he pulled her dress over her, throwing the plain, white nightgown on the floor as he leaned up to meet her lips.

"Miku, this is our night. Do not fret," he started unbuttoning his dress shirt, his eyes still glued with hers. "I am with you so do not fret. I love you."

She felt herself weakening against his hands and kisses, and for the first time she submitted herself completely with him.

The candle flickered on the table, mindless of the moans and cries of pleasure that echoed in the manor that evening. Luckily, a rather heavy snowfall held up all visitors in the palace that night. It would be a long night, Len thought.

This night should last a lifetime.

* * *

 **request: part iii please?**

* * *

 **a/n.** _haneoto_ and _sparkybubbles_ , here's your request. || request box is open! and im running out of ideas.


	22. gynophobia

**a/n.** no plot, just experimental character. i read too much of this certain manga lol, slightly based off daiki mamura's character.

* * *

 **Gynophobia**

* * *

"My name is Miku," she blinked at him, her neck started to hurt. He was a head taller than her, and it amused her. She never thought guys of her age could grow this tall so fast. Funny how could some people make others feel so small.

The blond shrugged casually, boredom evident from his face. He seemed to be the type uninterested with making new friends, let alone new acquaintances. His fingers raked his hair as he murmured, "I'm not asking for it."

"I'm your seatmate, isn't that normal? And I'm a transferee. That's how it is done," she looked up to him innocently, failing to get a hint that the guy was completely, truly, and deeply not concerned about that matter. He gave her another shrug before pulling out his phone and earphones. "I don't care," he turned around and walked away.

Miku only blinked at his retreating back. She just transferred in this high school yesterday, and when the teacher pointed out her new seat, she decided to make her seatmate a new friend. Sadly, she had a very _amiable_ classmate seated next to her. Yesterday, she lost the chance to introduce herself properly to anyone - to him, because when the lunch break bell rang, she was lost in the school grounds. It was him, the blond seatmate of hers who found her and escorted her back to class...or rather, he just directed her to which corridor she should take a turn. And though that was a given opportunity for them to talk, he always had his earphones on.

As she what had observed so far (well, yesterday), the guy had a crazy number of fans in the class. He seemed oblivious of it though, and he preferred to talk with the boys (and only boys) of the class. Miku thought that he was just trying to be modest. Maybe all boys from the city were just like that. That idea made her sigh, concluding that life in the city was polar opposite with the one from the countryside. Girls and guys were simply, flashy outfits were plain ridiculous. Otherwise was true in the city, though.

* * *

"Oi, Len! Kagamine Len! We need some help carrying this one!"

Miku pried herself away from the book she was reading, ears perking up when the fattest and loudest boy in the class went to the desk next to her. The boy called her seatmate Kagamine Len, and now for sure she knew his name.

The blond, despite the other boy's presence before his desk, continued to ignore him and continued to read his book. It was their lunch break again, but some of the class spent the time as though it was the study hall.

"H-hey, I asked him to help me with my homework. I'll just send him to you later," Miku forced a smile and it seemed to work. The boy just sighed and turned around, grumbling his complaints about the blond's uncooperative nature.

"Kagamine-kun," she poked his side, making the blond jerk away from her, face flushed. This reaction surprised her. "Our classmate is asking for you -"

"Don't touch me!" He put the book he was reading in between them as if it was a cross that could drive away vampires. "If you want to help them, go on. I don't care."

"But they are asking for you," she was about to poke him again when he suddenly pushed the book to her. "I even covered up for you..."

"I said don't touch me!" He threw the book to her, making the girl to instinctively catch it. Great way of diversion, he sighed.

She pouted, forehead wrinkling. "I don't bite."

He snarled, rising from his seat. The redness of his face reached his ears, and as if he went out on a run, he was panting hard. "Y-you're the first woman who touched me! D-do you think t-that's cute? That you g-girls are cute? That's...a-annoying! Stay away from me!"

The blond walked out of the room. Miku blinked at his retreating back once more, thoughts bombarding her mind. He was far from being a gentleman, so she wondered why he had a herd of admirers. His behavior was simply...foul.

"Must hate girls a lot, I suppose." Miku shrugged and glanced down at his text book he threw to her. She skimmed through the pages, stopping where the bookmark was inserted. It was a small sheet of paper, around one-fourth of the whole sheet of the book. She picked it up to read the tiny writings there, eyes squinting. His handwriting was neat and girlish, but it was so small. After a few seconds of reading, a sigh parted her lips. She inserted the bookmark where it originally was and put the book back on his desk.

"He hates me now."


	23. Restart

_"I wish I could apologise for falling in love with you. But I can't. It would be like asking me to be sorry for breathing."_

 _\- Michael Faudet_

* * *

 **Restart**

* * *

Being alone never bothered him. If anything, it was a sweet solitude most introverts such as he enjoyed so much. However, once old habits were broken, going back to them was like getting-to-know each other all over again. The feeling was strange, the silence was choking, and the feeling of the wind against his skin was like a constant reminder that he was all _alone_ now.

Being alone never bothered him, really. Just his luck, things were not the same anymore.

He glanced at the running water before him, glistening and rustling with life. Sitting under the tree's shade amid the summer's raging heat, he found the _sort_ of silence that would make him feel less lonely. His deep blue eyes took in the lovely sight before him, he enjoyed spending time here in the riverside, away from people and their noise. He was all by himself in a serene place, and he could pretty much do whatever he wanted. Cry, talk, yell, sing, or dance...no one was around to witness. _Exactly._ No one else would see if he would do something stupid.

Slowly, a sad smile stretched his lips. Again, once you departed from an old habit, it was like restarting everything. Actually, today was the beginning of that restart. _His restart._

He had heard this from his elder sister before that the person who falls in love first is actually the loser. 'Love is a game,' she reminded the younger him, and though he was too young to comprehend everything, he just nodded in assent.

If there were losers, there were winners. So it must be played like a game, then? He wondered why it did not come to his senses earlier (that love was simply a game), but then again, he only had himself to blame. When spring came to him, he was so blinded and fooled that he forgot who he was and who he used to be: a timid boy from the countryside, a boy ignorant when it comes to the matters of the heart. Sometimes he wanted to blame the scholars for not writing books about _this,_ about how foolish it was to fall in love. Why did no one write anything about first love and how blinding it could be? How painful it could be?

Luki couldn't accept the fact that _she_ made a fool out of him. Heck, he couldn't believe she _could_ do that. What they had seemed so real, so genuine, so true, so authentic. It was _almost_ everythinghe could ask for. The smiles, the sweet talks, the kisses and the caresses, they all felt so real - no, they were real. All of them. What had been untrue all these times were her intentions. Well, did she have any intentions in the first place? Besides toying with him, of course. How would he know? Honestly, forget it. He didn't want to find out anymore.

Love was a painful first-time experience for him. The pain he felt now was nothing compared to the bleeding wound he got when he tried fixing his dad's old bike the first time. The wound was nowhere in sight, he couldn't even use any antiseptic to cleanse it or something. Pain-relievers wouldn't work as well. _It hurt_ , he wanted to scream that. Every time he would remember her, which was like every fucking seconds, his chest felt like churning when it does not churn at all. There was a weary feeling inside his chest, like his heart was breaking along with his ribs. It vexed him, it made him feel so...girlish. Fragile. Vulnerable. That was where he realised that a wound couldn't be reached by hands hurt more.

Love fucked him up badly. He should have remembered his sister's advice, _'love is a game; he, who falls in loses the game.'_ Well, the game was over now, right?

Luki looked above him, head leaning against the wide, rough trunk. He watched the leaves to rustle, unintentionally giving him a light show. His pink fringe slowly fell a few centimeters above his eyes, sliding towards the right. The sunlight filtered through the lush foliage above him danced across his face and lap, the tiny orbs of light felt so warm against his pale skin and khaki shorts. He used to hate summertime, but a certain someone taught him how to enjoy it.

 _Fuck,_ he muttered as he closed his eyes abruptly. He continued nibbling on his lower lip, still murmuring the _f-word_ to himself. He hated how much she affected him, how much influence she had over him. Just like right now, he originally hated the sun. He hated summer. Luki used to claim that boys like him weren't cut out for the summer sun. He was a homely person, literally. However, thanks to her, he got rid of the habit staying indoors.

 _"Fuck,"_ he said louder, raising an arm as if to shield his eyes from the bright _komorebi._ "Fuck you, Hatsune. Well, I already did that anyway. But still, screw you."The wind blew gently, warm and comforting. He was just unsure which was warmer, the wind or the tears trickling down from his eyes.

* * *

It began a year ago, when he transferred in Liphemra High. He came from a town on the countryside, a place most city people never heard of. The place where he came from was called Parler. When he mentioned it upon introducing himself in his new class, no one seemed to know where on earth was that place. Luki completely ignored his new classmates and proceeded to his seat.

The idea of restarting his new life in an urban life was quite a torture for him. Luki had no friends since he could not actually carry out a conversation with anyone. The trends they were talking about weren't the same fad country people were so hyped about. None of his class tried asking him things from where he came from; he thought tranferees were always welcomed warmly. Well, back in Parler every newcomer was welcomed with open arms.

He never felt this isolated before. The crowded hallways were one of the loneliest places for him, his classrooms next. Walking along the corridors and eating in the cafeteria never felt this terrifying. Luki had a feeling like there were hundreds of eyes staring at him. Sometimes he would purposely miss his lunch so he could avoid people, and instead he would spend his free time in the library to read. Books were his refuge, and for him books made a lot more sense than actual humans.

However, this habit lasted only for a month. Luki met _her_ during the study hall, when he happened to pass by the stairs near the janitor's locker. There were muffled voices nearby, one soft spoken and the other, harsh and brusque. It seemed like there was an argument. Since Luki had nothing to with it, he intended to leave. Well, until there was a scream. The pink-haired boy peered down from the second storey only to see a guy forcing a girl to kiss him. Normally he wouldn't mind other people's businesses, but his hands moved on its own accord, throwing his pile of books down to the guy. Luki wished to pick no fights, he was physically weak, so he did was plain terrifying. Especially when the guy glowered at him with fiery eyes.

The girl used that distraction to run away from the other guy. What Luki did not expect was her coming his way, grabbing his hand, and running down the hallways while the bad guy was hot in their trail. For several minutes of turning left and right, Luki and the girl lost the other guy. They rested under the tree somewhere in the open field, chests heaving as they gasped for breath.

"Thank you," the girl said, pushing a lock of long teal hair away from her face. When she said those words, she wasn't looking at him. Her leaf-green eyes were staring at the filtered sunlight above them. There was a tiny smile on her lips as she closed her eyes to enjoy the cool air. Her hand still holding his hand bewildered the country boy. Of course, having a pretty girl to hold your hand was a rare chance.

Everything went out of control after that incident. Luki thought that encounter was the first and last. The next day, and for the next days, the girl kept reappearing out of nowhere. She would take the seat next to him in his AP classes, would volunteer to be his partner in gym classes, would share the table with him during lunch. Even his precious silent reading moments in the library were interrupted whenever she would take the chair next to him and read. Truth be told, she was not reading. The girl was just holding a book to cover her face as she slept. There were times she would lean to him, and those times Luki found his heart beating wildly.

He learned later on that her name was Miku Hatsune. Never the average, flashy student. She was actually smart, topping all classes even the AP ones. When Luki failed his history and some of his math subjects, his teachers asked Miku to help him catching up.

Luki would stay after class in the library so Miku could tutor him. When it felt like he was acquainted with her enough, he invited her to his house. From acquaintances, they became friends. She would come to his place casually, his mom was actually delighted to have her being the first friend he had in Liphemra. Perhaps his mom was under the impression that they were dating.

Seeing her hogging his bed and sleeping over became normal. They spent weekends together watching Netflix movies, throwing popcorns to each other. Sometimes she would nag at him when he failed another math exam. Miku would ask him out on a sunny day, one he would usually turn down. She was persistent though, so he had given us. That part of her was actually cute. He got to know Miku the strangest way. The sides she never showed at school, the _study bug_ alternate personality of hers, he met it. Nevertheless, Miku was a nice girl, a bit rebellious he thought, since she visited him one late evening climbing to his balcony, carrying a bottle of wine she stole from her father.

The crowded hallways never felt so isolating again. He would not walk around the school stooping his head anymore, albeit he was still uncomfortable to the strange gazes his schoolmates would give him. There were times when Miku would just jump on his back, and then she would ruffle his hair. She would often tell him that his hair was soft and she liked it. The friendly treatment went on until barging in each other's rooms while changing was no issue. She had seen him in his boxers, she had poured water on his face to wake him up. When it was the other way around, he accidentally bolted to her room while she was stripping, Luki would find himself blushing madly. Miku would take that opportunity to make fun of him, claiming that his face was brighter than his hair.

Soon enough the friendly treatment turned into something. They spent late nights together, sitting in the roof to watch the sun replace the moon. The talks about the future, they had them. Changes surged their relationship. Hands drew closer together, fingers intertwined and lips touched. He liked the feeling of his fingers tangled in her hair, the softness of her lips and the sweetness of her skin. They went beyond what normal friends would do. It continued for who knew how long, their wanton times together were the highlight of each other's days.

Whenever he would stare at her pools of green orbs, he would envision the warm Indian summer. Oftentimes he was lost in those eyes. He hated summer days, but maybe if she was there, her hands holding his, he wouldn't mind. The secret base he used to own, that special spot on the riverbank, it was shared to her. Though there were times she would lecture him about the points he was missing in his waterloo subjects, he still enjoyed being with her. For the first time since moving in Liphemra, spending time with someone never bothered him.

Miku was fond of his eyes. She liked the deep blueness of his irises, like a moonless twilight. The girl loved to lie her head on his chest or lap, her fingers always playing with his pink locks. She would sing lovely french songs to his ears, knowing that her breath tickled the hell out of him. Besides her singing voice he fancied, he also liked hearing her pants and moans whenever they would _do_ it. She was _so_ experienced about the pleasures of the body, and this was another side of her he discovered. However, all wonderful tales would always come to an end.

One night, he woke up with a start. He spent the night in her place so they could finish a project together. Miku was dozing off on her desk, the study lamp still turned on. Luki went over to move her to the bed when he noticed a notebook pushed at the corner. Curiosity took over him since the notebook looked like a diary. He picked it up and scanned the contents, stumbling upon a list of names. Some looked familiar, some sounded like he heard it once. Most of the names were the popular guys in the school. It was a strange list, some names were crossed out with a red pen. At the bottom of the pages he found the legend. The names crossed out were _accomplished,_ while the rest were _in progress._

Progress? He scanned the other pages and he found his name at the bottom of the list. The names written above his were already crossed out. Luki did not understand this at all. He turned to the other pages where Miku's diary entries were written _._

 _Friday, October xx,_

 _The newbie is actually fun. Luki's a nice guy. Such a shame I'm toying with him. Well, is there any chance for me to fall for him? He's the strangest boy among all those I played with, you see. He's not the typical guy who only wanted to get into my pants...which is nice._

Okay. Fuck that. No need to read the next entries, yeah?

Luki dropped the notebook, his hands trembling as his insides churned. His eyes felt so hot, his forehead wrinkled. Wow, great news. He was just someone's past time. So that was why everyone had looked at him whenever Miku was with him, right? He reached up to wipe his tears, still too shocked to react. Luki picked up a pen and wrote down a note, and then he left without waiting for the morning to come.

 _So a country boy's virginity was some entertainment for you, huh?_

* * *

After knowing what a slut Miku really was, he avoided her. He didn't talk to her, never dared to confront her, thinking that it was the best thing to do. He was hurt, broken and made a fool. If only his sister Luka was here, he wondered what she would tell him. Perhaps, _Luki, save yourself._

Tears raced against each other in his cheeks. They drew a path down to his chin and drenched the neckline of his shirt. He still had an arm covering his eyes, head resting against the tree trunk. True boys cry, right?

Luki's hands felt so empty, he was so used to grasping her hands and tangling his fingers with her hair. Her warmth next to him, her lips against his skin, why do they have to be beautiful deceptions?

It was fine, anyhow. Once the summer break's over, he would go back to the countryside with his dad. He would forget her and the joy she brought to his life, and probably he would find another one. As he was about to stand, he heard the bushes rustling from behind. Looking back, he saw the girl he wanted to see the least now.

"Luki!" she called, but he ignored her. He wouldn't show his tears because it would only boost her ego, right?

"Leave me alone, Hatsune."

When you loved somebody, it was hard to pretend that the person's existence never mattered. Well, Luki was doing his best, so better give him some credit.

* * *

 **request: SPICE!/RIP=RELEASE AU where Miku is a playgirl and Luki (naive and shy) is a newcomer to their high school** _ **(...)**_

* * *

 **a/n.** if im not lazy and unmotivated, i could have done better. not promising but might work for a part ii (miku's pov) for this one since this is luki's pov.. im taking a fancy with this shy boy luki (okay that's my canon now). and i like the characters of broken hearted boys.


	24. le pauvre, la princesse et la sorcière

" _A long time ago I promised to save you from yourself if you couldn't do it…_

 _-annamalities, (The Twelve Kingdoms)_

* * *

 **le pauvre, la princesse et la sorcière**

* * *

"Good morning to me," the girl said humorously, lifting the warm cup of tea to her lips. Tasting the sweetness of the milk that blended well with the bitterness of the boiled herbs, her lips stretched into a smile. She never liked bitter things, not at all, but tea was a different subject. "You have a nice tea today, Miriam," she commented bringing the tea back to its cup, the ceramics clinked softly upon the contact.

The older female at the opposite side of the flat made some noise to shrug off the compliment that she rarely received from her friend. With her back facing the guest, she busied herself washing the most presentable plate she had in her cupboard. Her name was Miriam Pendragon, blond and blunt. The two ladies met in work; Miriam was already a regular office staff when the other joined the team two years ago.

"I only have cookies here," the blond said, rinsing the glass plate with water. She moved to the side and wiped the plate dry, and then turned to face her friend seated on the couch comfortably. The sunlight streaming through the windows poured gracefully on the girl, her teal hair seemed to glow white. "Michaela, are cookies fine for you?"

The girl on the couch turned to Miriam's direction, her face adorned with a small sarcastic smile Miriam almost missed. Besides the sarcastic smile the blond missed, she also failed to see how Miku cringed. The sunlight made her skin look paler, too. For some reason the girl looked so ghostly. "Whatever you have in store would be fine, Miriam. By the way, stop calling me _Michaela_ , my name is _Miku._ "

"Sure," Miriam went to the cupboard and brought out a jar of cookies. She poured some on the plate and jogged straight to where her friend was, putting it down on the center table where the teapot lay. "But that's a nice name, lass. Didn't you say you keep hearing that name in your dream?"

"Didn't say 'twas me," Miku rolled her eyes, crouching down to pick up her cup. The two of them remained quiet right afterwards; both enjoyed their tea in their own little ways. Miku brought up her tea again to inhale the relaxing scent of her drink. Nothing was more relaxing than savoring the aroma. The bitterness. "I bet you already know why I am here, _Mir_?"

"Yep," answered the blond. "It's the dream again, of course. What did it show this time?"

The teal-haired girl just gave a quiet smile before savoring the tea once more. It felt weird to talk about her dreams since the recent one wasn't _that_ pleasant. Ever since her twentieth birthday, Miku began to see eerie dreams that showed herself dressed in a fashion long abandoned—tunics, corsets and long loose dresses. There were people, who chattered oddly phrased words, surrounding her, men wooing her and women flattering her. Miku felt like she was attending a party hosted in some medieval palace, judging from the tapestry and furniture she passed by. Everyone looked so ecstatic to have her around, but she felt the otherwise.

The next thing she knew was that someone's hand pulled her away from the small gathering. No one noticed her absence though, and for some reason she thought it was fun to run away. They scurried through one corridor to another, sometimes stopping to hide from some passersby. Albeit running out of breath, she managed to laugh as they escaped the people. Soon, Miku was standing on the balcony and the moon served as her candlelight. She liked how the evening breeze enveloped her, but she probably liked it more when the mysterious person held her in his embrace instead.

The first dream she had on her twentieth birthday ended that way. Miku woke up with a start, hair and pajamas disheveled. Beads of sweat trickled down the side of her face as she buried her visage on her palms. It was a sweet dream, honestly, but there was something in the dream that terrified her. She couldn't remember what, but she sure felt anxious.

The next dream she had was probably one of the uncomfortable ones she ever had in the two decades of her life. She knew it very much that she was an aromantic and asexual, that the pleasure of physical desire and fantasy of romance never appealed to her. However, that dream contradicted her personality. It was a night full of wanton escapades; she was pinned down on the bed by a man, probably the same person who dragged her out of the party before. Miku hated romance and the idea of sex, but in that dream—disgusting though it was, she was having fun. It was a night too bold, too…immodest for her liking. When she woke from that dream, she felt happy and disgusted at the same time. Well, she _remained_ aromantic and asexual—that was the good thing.

Her dreams went on like that, she running around with some guy whose face remained unremembered the morning she woke up. Lately she was accustomed to having these dreams as if she was living a separate life once the evening disclosed. Though it was odd, things felt normal after having the similar dreams for over twenty days now. However, last night was an entire different matter. It was neither a sweet nor steamy dream, but it was weird one—for it was quite mystical.

 _Michaela—_ it was the name people from her dream called her. It was the same word she had been frightened of ever since she woke up this morning. Last night's dream turned out too vivid, she could remember how the harsh rain and wind brought disaster to her—supposed—favorite rose garden, the same garden where she would secretly meet her lover. The heaven was probably displeased to witness two youths wandering in the garden to indulge in a forbidden romance. _Michaela and—_ , these names were called out loud and clear against the raging weather. Standing at the center of the rose garden, a woman soaking wet yelled out. _Michaela…_ The next thing she knew, the outrageous woman was laughing and grumbling foreign phrases.

 _The next time you two fall in love with each other, I shall take away_ your _life._

Miku smiled against the teacup and batted her eyes as she looked at her friend. She woke up earlier than usual, so her eyes felt so heavy every time she would blink. "The dream explained it to me—why I can't love romantically."

Miriam nodded, popping a cookie in her mouth. "Uh-huh, go on."

"Someone cursed me—er, _us,_ that if we fall in love, we will die." Miku took a wisp of her teal hair that fell in front her face and tucked it behind her ear. "That seems plausible. I won't give up life over something trivial such as love, will I?"

"Well, using your dream to support your aromantic-ism is not exactly a logical and reliable way to explain yourself," Miriam argued. "Why were you cursed, though?" the blond asked herself, not meaning to raise an inquiry that her guest wouldn't be able to answer. Leaning back on the cushion, both arms rested on the armrests of her seat, her blue-grey eyes narrowed at her guest. "Anyway, I haven't fully grasped your _aromantic_ ways, Miku, but can you really not _love_?"

"Platonically, I can. _Romantically, nah,_ nope, never in a million years." Miku flashed a smile before putting back her teacup on the table. "Love is a laughable subject I'm not really into. Until today I still don't know what to feel with these recurring dreams. However, in those dreams I understood how 'twas like to love. It is fun, but I really don't see myself falling in love now—if at all."

"Aren't you just one of those _'maybe you haven't met the right one yet'_ cases?"

"Impossible."

"You're quite stubborn, Miku."

"I stand firm on my ground, Miriam."

The blond chuckled, an air of triumph made her glow. She knew that Miku was just being stubborn but after having those dreams, she completely softened. Maybe the teal-head hadn't noticed it yet, that she was actually enthralled with the idea of love. Miriam had been listening to Miku ever since her first dream and the blond observed that every time Miku would tell her dream, she was wearing an expression that was actually…beautifully enigmatic.

"Right," Miriam heaved a sigh, pretending that she lost in this conversation again. Shrugging, she picked up another cookie and popped it in her mouth. "It's about time you go shopping. Spend your day off wisely. Now, shoo."

"What a nice way to cast me out of your flat," the guest sneered but she rose from her seat anyway. " _Aight_ , I'm leaving. I'll see you tomorrow in the office, Mir."

"Fine, take care."

* * *

Miku heaved the bag of her groceries in one arm while her freehand held the receipt close to her face. She was walking slow as she digested whatever the prices listed on the receipt, silently monitoring if there were any price increase to the products she had purchased. Under the broad daylight she waltzed along the swarm of people crowding the streets, dodging them as much as possible. There was no use of lifting her head to see where she was going—still engrossed with the figures on the receipt—for she knew the streets of this town like the back of her hand.

The incessant thudding of her boots against the ground echoed when she turned down a deserted alley, a short-cut way back to her house. As the shadows of the establishments towered over her, the girl folded the receipt neatly and stuffed it in the grocery bag along with her items. She groped for the back pocket of her jeans as she went closer to the road. The screaming of the children could be heard now, so was the car engines as they dashed across the road. Heaving a deep sigh, Miku smiled and finally stepped out of the narrow alley. Just then, a hand stretched out a meter away from her knees.

"Any spare change, ma'am?"

Miku glanced down at the grayish hand from a young man clad in soiled, tattered overcoat. The baseball cap she had given him a few weeks ago, he was still wearing it. Like most of his clothing, the cap was a tad dirty too. She could see the faint traces of dirt besmirching the white part of the hat. The lady took the pennies and some bills she had in her pocket and dropped it on the man's palm. It was a small change from her shopping, anyway.

"Thank you," said the beggar.

"Why don't you go to—" Miku was not able to finish her sentence when the beggar stood, his shadow casting on her as she stood in full height. His face was darkened by dirt; what he really looked like was up for her to imagine. Miku was supposed to suggest the local shelter which would take in the homeless people. She had seen the man wandering in this part of the town for a month now. Somehow she felt bad for him since she would find him sleeping in the streets, mindless if it was raining or not. Miku remembered when she handed him that cap last time; his dirty blond hair was drenched with rain. He was crouching on the wet ground, his elbow on his folded knees as his palm hanged open in the air. Begging, as usual.

"G'bye, ma'am." The man turned his back and whisked away, his long dingy mustard coat swaying behind him. Miku blinked as he walked away, his towering figure so easy to notice from the crowd.

"He was one proud beggar, hm?." The girl mumbled to herself before walking on the other side.


	25. le pauvre, la princesse et la sorcière i

_"Whatever we are, I still remember the way we were."_

* * *

 **le pauvre, la princesse et la sorcière**

\- part ii -

* * *

His _fourth_ life happened to be like this, the worst scenario that could ever happen to him or to anyone _at all_. Long, dirty fingers reached up and swept his equally dirty blond fringe aside, making a bit of his clean, pale forehead show off. Perhaps his forehead was the only clean part of his face. No matter how he looked at it, his visage was covered with smudges of dirt here and there, typical for any beggar.

His hands slid down to his neck, fingers gripping the grayish scarf to tighten it around his neck. It was not particularly cold outside, but he was starting to feel the building coldness of the air. It was late September now, autumn and its deathly, unseen tentacles were slowly painting the surroundings brown, gold, orange and red. Some trees began to shed leaves by now and in no time, the trees would look like bony hands planted in the ground.

The young man heaved a sigh, his exhaled breath was almost a visible white puff which instantly vanished. The temperature was going down rather quickly this time of the year, so soon enough he might take refuge in a social welfare shelter or something. It was never a habit of his to stay in some place longer than a week or two, for people get tired easily of seeing the same beggar hogging the streets for a long time. However, he found it hard to move away, really, when the hazy memories that kept flashing in his mind - whenever it pleased to - finally cleared up like the sky after a thunderstorm. This happened a month ago, and this, too, was the reason why he seemed suspended, stuck, in this place. As a resident beggar. What the freaking hell.

The beggar took the baseball cap resting on his lap and put it on. The shadow it cast on his face somewhat concealed his aristocratic blue eyes, the brightest and prettiest shade of blue that could ever existed - or that was just his mum's belief. She liked exaggerating things when he was still with her. It was just a shame he was separated with her during a family outing, and after that he never found his home. He lived as an orphan and was set free when he was eighteen, alone and clueless how to survive the world. He had been a wanderer-slash-beggar for two years now. During those two years, he managed to get a real job for a month-long, had that car repair shop hadn't closed.

"Len!" yelled someone to the beggar's ears, his body was suddenly pushed forward. A guy with flaming red hair peered down at him, his curly hair sticking out of his berret. "Wow, you looked so dingy. What happened? I found a good ol' man at the third block, down the Estelle Street. He said he was in need of helpers. You're quite knowledgeable with gears and engines, aren't you?"

The dirty beggar who was dubbed Len nodded, a proud smile lit up his grayish face. "You found the right person, Fukase. I know a thing or two since I used to work for a mechanic back in the next city before I came here."

The redhead grabbed the beggar's collar and pulled him up from the ground, then proceeded to dust off Len's coat as if it could really make him at least presentable. "Good, good. Now we have to meet the granny and love with 'im. We'll be apprentices, mate. Finally, God has shown us some mercy."

The two were bickering away from the street where Len used to spend his afternoons to kill time, his palm stretched to ask for spare change. Some part of him was hesitant to leave the place, knowing that he was here for only one purpose. When he was younger, he believed that there was one face he need to find in the sea of people. He was always searching wherever he went to, and here he found that face. It was during the rainy evening of August 30th; Fukase, a homeless fellow who showed him around this town, had left him in that place near the park. It was during that stormy night when he found the face he was looking for in every crowds. Although it was the first time he ever saw that face, in this life at least, all of his hazy flashbacks were now shed with light. The long, slack, teal hair and forest-green eyes and the rosy tanned cheeks, they all belonged to a _certain_ woman. He knew; Len knew it well enough for he had been watching over her for all his _lives._

All his past lives came back to him, the memories pushed far deep in his subconscious. The first one, where the two of them lived as royalties. It was a time where everyone was uncivilized, where monsters and mages were real. The earth was filled with thick forests and dangerous waters, and one could find refuge within the stone walls of kingdoms. He was a son of a king, and she, a princess from an ally kingdom. Their first meeting happened to be in a gathering hosted by his kingdom, to celebrate the monster who had been feeding from the herd of the palace. She was a very attractive woman, like a fairy from the heart of the forest, and her very presence had an aura which compelled everyone to curtsy and treat her with kindness. He was smitten - 'twas the greatest understatement of that era. The prince he was, made his way and charmed her with all his guts. She fell for him, and they spent nights talking about their lives. It was on the last night of the banquet when he stole her from the dancing crowd, when she had given all herself to him the night before she went back to their kingdom. He was brought to the peak of his bliss that night, and he knew deep inside him that to part with this lady was the greatest mistake of his life.

Their goodbyes were temporary. He was sure of it. Soon enough, his King Father sent him to their kingdom to aid a mission. Monsters again, destroying the king's army over the sea. Without any second thoughts, he journeyed with his soldiers as what the king willed. Defeating the monsters was his second priority, since his lady would always come first. The princess had a special place in his heart and mind, so months of exchanging letters with her never pacified his desire to be with her again. However, when he was received in that kingdom, the princess was avoiding him.

His fleet defeated the monsters on the kingdom's coastal borders. That was the time when the soldiers called him the ruthless prince, the one royalty who would kill with cold eyes. No one realised that he was actually angry and disappointed with the princess' conduct towards him. Bringing the peace back to the Celts, the king offered him any gift in return for his help. The stubbord, smitten prince he was, asked for the princess' hand. He wanted her as his bride. This wish though was something the king couldn't grant. There was no explanation, no apologies either. The prince was asked for another wish.

 _"I demand to stay for a while and think over that,"_ he said. Later that evening, he received a message from the princess' manservant. She wished to meet him later evening in the rose garden. No one should know about their meeting, the manservant reminded. When the prince questioned the man's silence, he brought the message after all, his ruby eyes and scarred face brightened with a smile. The redhead had sworn loyalty to Her Highness, and if the princess devoted herself to the prince, so should he.

Prince Loch Lèin and Princess Michaela's love was a bond that had gone deeper than mere physical attraction. Their meeting proved that so. The princess explained why her father denied the prince's wish to marry her, and it was all because of a prophecy upon her birth that her marriage would be the downfall of the kingdom. The princess assured the prince that only he could own her heart, that despite the restraints the king had put on her, she would continue to love him. The prophecy spoke of marriage, never of love.

Night after night, they would rendezvous at the rose garden when the castle was put to sleep. Her ginger-haired manservant, Fennett, was always guarding the two to make sure that no one could find out their secret meetings. However, it all ended when the royal wizard found them out, one stormy evening. She cursed the lovers, claiming that if ever they fell in love with each other once more, both of them should die. The princess did not understand to what purpose that curse stand for, but the royal wizard told her in a frenzied manner that it was always the foolish _love_ which would burn down kingdoms. _'None of you should tear down the kingdom I worked for,'_ said the mage, _'for I am the very first queen, and I shall prove to you that love is a mere curse that assures downfall and nothing but that.'_

The next morning came, bright and lively. In the middle of the rose garden, there lie the bodies of Prince Loch Lèin and Princess Michaela, cold and drenched with the rain from last night's. The roses that had fallen from the branches scattered around them were all black and wilted.

Their second meeting happened around Elizabethan era, where he was known as Baron Lenus, an aristocrat far from being powerful when it comes to anything. She was the princess of Russia this time, Her Highness, Princess Mikhail. They met during the visit of princess in Great Britain. She was the moon, the beautiful thing so out of his reach; and he was a star. Well, many stars were actually tailing her that time, and Lenus was the farthest. The next thing he knew, she was betrothed to the Queen's nephew.

Such news, however, did not stop their fate from drawing close to a realization. They met unexpectedly in some public place, this was when the princess escaped from her maids, and she was in trouble that time. Some ruffians has tried to take her to some brothel, but she managed to escape them. He took her in, let her rest before sending out a boy to inform her attendants that she was found. Lenus talked to her, both her English and French was poor, but they managed to understand each other. Whilst conversing, his mind kept flashing memories he was sure not his. They were vivid images of them, he and the princess, somewhere in a different time and place.

 _"I'm having a weird headache, Your Highness. You keep showing up on my mind."_ He meant it as a joke, but the princess smiled and agreed with him.

 _"Вы тоже,"_ she replied. _"Just now, your face - I...I saw it. In my head, Baron."_

Before he could react or interpret the way she smiled at him, before he could ask what she saw just now, the doors opened and tall, brusque guards of the royal palace bolted inside his house. He was picked up by his collar and arms and was dragged away from the princess. He didn't see the princess afterwards because he was accused of a crime he was unlikely to do, abduction of the Russian princess.

Their third life happened to be the most unbearable for him. He was born as a son of a farmer, who was soon taken in by the military to send for war. Lendl Hemsworth was the name he lived by then. A poor farmer sent out to war, to hold a gun and shoot people dead. During their raid, he found her trapped under the debris of her house. She was blind, but because of the war, she was crippled too. He didn't remember who she was or who she used to be, upon their meeting. When he was not out there with the troop, he would spend time with her in the shelter where all victims of the war stayed for a while. The girl told him about her dreams, about a boy with a dead rose in his hand. Lendl came to realize that perhaps she wasn't born blind. He thought it was the war which took away her sight, like how it took her legs. He never knew that she was really born blind and it was her vivid dreams that made her feel like she was never blind.

Lendl left her and travelled into places as a soldier. Soon, he married and had children. It was only in his late forty's that the memories of his past lives came back flooding at him. Albeit being thankful was the last thing he would be after the memories returned, he was grateful that she didn't fall in love with him in this era. Probably because she was blind and crippled, that she mistook his love and concern with pity and kindness. Lendl wanted to meet her though, so he visited the place where she used to live. Sadly, there were no traces of her whereabouts.

Len didn't want any of these lives to repeat anymore. He wanted to break that _history-repeats-itself_ adage so he could prove to the Fates that his love would stand the test of time. It didn't matter if she wouldn't recognize him; he certainly wanted both of them alive in this timeline. Memories of their past lives may not come to her, he wouldn't know, but perhaps that would be nicer. She seemed to manage fine as she was now, and so far as he observed, she was single...which was good. For him, at least. He wanted to remain as an unmarried free man in this life, so as not to bear the same guilt he had the last time when he was a soldier. Len would watch over her, like an angel - a beggar angel - for as long as he could; he wouldn't dare test the fate and the pathetic curse, especially when the woman she was always with, the tall, blond woman who reeked of green tea, looked a lot like the crazy royal wizard from the time of Grendel.

* * *

 **request: reincarnation and forbidden romance au. tragedy and angst everywhere. len is trying to save miku from a curse cast on them by a mistake of his in the past** _ **(...)**_

* * *

 **a/n. request completed.** not as angsty as you wished it to be, dear. i've been thinking a lot 'bout this prompt, and i thought making no progress between these two dorks is the best TRAGEDY for me. btw, NONE of the mentioned timelines are accurate, esp. their second life in Elizabethan England. Idk if there's a princess of russia 'round that time; and tbh I got the name Mikhail from one of the Russian tsars (coz im so hooked with the last romanov royalties)


	26. Amaranthine

**Amaranthine**

* * *

It was such a mystery why their sweet and loving parents would not eat their dinner with them. The long, wooden dining table that seemed to glimmer under the small chandelier had been the quietest and most listless place in the entire household on weekends. The clattering of the silverware against the ceramic plates and bowls were the only sounds that could break the silence of the dining room. Besides the clinking ceramics, there were sighs to listen to as well. A sigh could be heard from the far end of the table, and it would be followed up by a chorus of another exasperated breath on the opposite side. If sighing was a new way of conversing, perhaps the three kids sitting at that side of the table were chatting for a long time now.

The paintings of the sceneries from dead people's imaginations hanged on the wall, decorating the spacious dining room with colours of summer, cottages and lakes. Some had portraits of a beautiful lady in a frilly dress and fancy parasol, standing amid a sunflower field. The head of the house wished to put on these paintings on the walls, claiming that they reminded him of the day when he met his lifetime partner. He would always tell this to his children when he would eat dinner with them - which was not like everyday and well, never on weekends either. And he would always talk about their first meeting when his wife was never around.

Round, black-rimmed, green eyes stared at the paintings on the wall opposite his seat. A man in black coat sitting near the pond had a tall hat on him. It was the sort of the hat circus magicians had; the same hat where bunnies and pigeons would come out, leaving the audience wondering how those animals fit in there. The young boy blinked innocently, his small hands remained still against his mug of milk. He kept staring at that painting for another minute, no one would pay attention to his untouched dinner; and after what felt like an eternity, he heaved a sigh. It was quickly followed by a chorus of sigh from his siblings seated before him, who were a year older than him.

"Mikuo, will you please stop doing that?" the eldest boy seated two chairs away from the so-called Mikuo said, his voice almost echoing in the dining hall. The teenage boy's sharp, forest-green eyes tried to intimidate the younger boy, who was only five, only to soften when he saw the lonely expression Mikuo was wearing. The boy just looked down on his younger brother's plate, and he too, heaved a sigh. "Mikuo, eat your dinnner. If mum and dad suddenly come here, they won't be glad to see your plate still full."

The younger brother glanced at his elder brother, his eyes twinkling at the sight of his brother's golden locks. "Brother, did dad wear tall hats too?" asked Mikuo, lifting his mug to drink a little of his milk. His question made the second eldest sibling look Mikuo's way, her clear blue eyes narrowing at him. Flipping her pale blue hair back, she cleared her throat.

"What makes you ask, Mikuo? Shouldn't you be eating your dinner rather than asking out-of-the-blue inquiries?" commented Ring, putting down the spoon and fork on her plate silently. She was the second child, two years younger than the eldest child, Lui, who was already fourteen. Unlike Lui who would instantly soften after seeing the child's long face, Ring was rather stern. "Eat your meal, or else I will tell mum."

"Don't talk to him so brashly, Ring. You're scaring the kid," the eldest sibling removed the napkin on his lap and stood from his seat, ignoring the skeptical look his younger sister was giving him. He passed by the seats of the blond twins sitting before Mikuo, and then he turned around to pull a seat next to the lonely boy with round, green eyes. Perhaps his fondness towards his younger brother was because of the green eyes that the two of them shared. Ring and the twins had the cobalt blue eyes of their father.

"Here, Mikuo," said Lui, picking up the spoon to feed Mikuo. The younger boy sighed, wincing his head. Mikuo's sigh was replied by the twins' sigh. Looking at the twins, Lui frowned at them. "Lenka, Rinto. Stop that and finish your dinner."

The blond twins sighed again, but did as what they were told. The twins were already six, and since they were only a year older than Mikuo, that made the green-eyed boy five years old - the youngest child.

"Brother Lui, can't you just ask mum and dad to come and eat with us?" asked Lenka, taking a wisp of her long, platinum hair to twirl it around her forefinger.

Her twin, Rinto, nodded as he wiped his mouth with the table napkin. "Yeah, brother. Mikuo's sulking here."

"No," answered Ring instead. "Either mum or dad eats with us on weekdays, and on weekends we are to dine by ourselves. Brother and I have gotten used to do that since we were little, so were you."

"Eh, that's sad." Mikuo managed to say despite his mouth being full. He was scolded by Lui as soon as he spoke, though.

"That's weird," Rinto emptied his glass of water and stood from his seat, stretching his arms above his head. "Don't you find it weird, Lenka?"

When the twin brother grinned at the girl, Lenka hopped down from her chair and stretched her arms too, imitating her twin. "Yes, very weird. Do you know what it means?"

"Oh, gosh. No, please. Don't start," Ring winced and reached up to nurse the crease forming between her brows.

"Whatever, _witch_!" exclaimed Rinto and Lenka in unison. The blond twins screamed and jumped in excitement, saying that tonight was the world's greatest sleuths debut. The two ran around the dining hall, circling the dining table as they yelled tonight's mission: find out what mum and dad do on weekends. This excited the youngest child too, making him stir on his seat - only to be scolded by Lui again.

"But Mikuo wanna know too," he puckered his lips and stared up to his blond brother, his father's face almost resembling Lui's. "Please?"

Lui sighed in defeat. Why was he weak against this cute brother of his? Oh, yes. He looked a lot like their mother. "Fine, only after you finish your dinner."

"Really?" Rinto popped on Lui's shoulder, his chin drilling on his shoulder blade. The kid was kneeling on the chair again. The last time Rinto did this, he was only three and he fell off the chair.

"Really?" Another goldilocks popped, this one was on Lui's lap though. Her long blond ponytail tickled his knees. "Does that mean you're coming with us, Brother?"

"Does that mean Sister Witch is coming with us, too? We need her evil magic to hide us in the dark!" Rinto chuckled, jumping down from the chair only to run towards Ring. "Are you joining us, Sister Witch?"

"Who are you calling _'witch',_ Rinto? Come here!" she tried to catch the boy but he quickly ducked and crawled under the table. "I'll tell mum you're bad mouthing me!"

"That's because you're so uptight," Lui sighed and fed the now happy Mikuo. The boy was swinging his chubby legs back and forth, humming his favorite nursery rhyme as he munched his food.

"And you are so lenient! You should be disciplining them well, not spoiling them," barked Ring, flipping her long hair back once more. She crossed her arms on her chest and held her chin high just to tell that she wouldn't tolerate any of their younger siblings' nonsense.

"They're just children," Lui wiped the suds from Mikuo's face, who in return gave him a cheeky smile. "Just come with us. I know you're curious why they never joined us on dinnertime as well. I mean, the _two_ of them would rarely show up together on the dining table."

The girl scowled, though this was rather a thoughtful scowl than the typical one she would give the annoying Rinto. She wanted to refuse, knowing that if she gave-in, she was being nosy about their parents' business. But then again, parents shouldn't be leaving their children in the cold like this.

"Fine, just this once." Ring stood from her seat and called for Lenka, telling that they would prepare for bed now. Rinto ran out of the table, doing some weird victory dance with his twin as they followed their sister out of the dining hall.

Mikuo, on his brother's arms, asked again if their father was wearing tall hats like the man from the painting, and he was asking this while he was playing with Lui's blond hair. Again, his hair was a lot like his father's.

"I really don't know, Mikuo." Lui smiled and ruffled Mikuo's hair. "Maybe he did. Why don't we _interrogate_ dad later, if Rinto and Lenka capture him later?"

Mikuo's smile widened and his cheeks flushed. Well, that sounded like a great idea for the teal boy.

* * *

The five siblings in their pajamas walked stealthily across the hallways. The master's bedroom was located two corridors away from the children's quarters, forcing the children to walk in the dim-lit corridors. Lui had Mikuo sitting on his shoulders, while Ring was keeping the twins from running away. Their steps were carefully taken since the floorboards were quite squeaky, and their mum was very sensitive with noise. Hence, the master's bedroom was located two corridors away.

It was really late in the evening now. They were supposed to be in bed, just like what their nannies had seen earlier. However the children just waited for the nannies to leave them before commencing their _special mission._ Once the coast was clear - aka all lights were off - the five quickly left the room. And here they were, sneaking out quiet as a mouse.

The mansion where they lived in had hundreds of rooms that neither of the elder siblings had opened before. Most of the rooms were nearly shut. Their father told them that his great granddad lived here before, and so all the grandfathers his granddad had. This house was really old, and yet it was still elegant and well kept. They could tell from the portraits of the unknown faces on the wall, though.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Ring whispered loud enough for Lui and the twins to hear. "Mum wouldn't like it, I swear."

"Sister witch is a chicken," taunted Rinto, tugging on Ring's braid. " _Chiiiiiicken_."

She glowered at the blond boy and squeezed his hand. "I'll leave you alone later and let's see who's chickening out."

"Witch."

"Hush," the eldest grumbled. "We're almost here, no turning back." Lui put down Mikuo and guided him towards the room at the end of the corridor.

The five could see a line of light on the floor, coming from the ajar door on the right. Lenka pulled away from Ring, running towards the door to peek what was inside. The other four followed her and peered at the door, too. There they saw one of the rare miracles of the manor - seeing their parents together. Usually one of their parents would join them in the table on weekdays, but the two of them going together was a rare sight. Both of them were busy with work, the children were told.

The five gawked in awe. Their mum was sitting on a cushion and was wearing a blue silky robe. She was wearing her long teal hair down, her eyes shut close. The children were convinced from the beginning that their mother was some sort of princess or fairy not only because of her beauty, but also because of her youthful look. Seeing her dressed in nothing but a nightdress, she even looked younger. She was lean and fair, one could mistake her as a maiden. No one could possibly think that she had given birth to five children already.

"Mum is so pretty," Lenka giggled, in which the other four agreed.

"I wanna kiss mum," said Mikuo. Lui told him that he could, later if they were given a chance. Rinto tugged on Lui's sleeves and asked if they wouldn't get caught, but before the eldest could answer they heard their father walking towards their mother.

He was wearing a matching blue pajamas, the same color like his wife. His hair was caught in a pony, other than this one's a high ponytail and his usual was on the nape of his neck. Some wisps of his golden hair fell off the pony, draping his visage with a few thin strands. Like his wife, he was equally beautiful and youthful. He stood behind his wife and handed her a glass of water, and then he began massaging her shoulders.

"Is it just me or our parents looked like they were only on their early twenties?" Ring asked Lui, slowly tearing herself off from the door.

"We know better than that, though. They're both thirty-two," Lui said, picking up Mikuo. "Now, buddy. Let's go. Mum and dad are tired on weekends."

"Do they work extra hard on weekends?" Lenka looked up to Lui, her bright blue eyes seemed to glimmer in the dim light.

"They're working hard to feed us more 'coz we're all growing kids," answered Lui.

"I'm a growing boy, yes," agreed Rinto and began mumbling the details of their mission's success. Ring was trying her best to shush to boy; she was mentally screaming to stop making any form of noise that would notify their parents inside the room. She even put a hand over his mouth.

"Brother, I want to kiss mum and dad. They look so tired," Mikuo placed a sloppy kiss on his brother's cheek and wound his short arms around Lui's neck. "Mum and dad are growing up, too. Right? Who work to feed them? They look tired."

Lui smiled at his brother's request. He ruffled the boy's hair before looking back at Ring and the twins, whispering that he would knock so they could get in. And so he did, rapping his fist on the door.

"Mum, dad, can we get in?"

The door was pulled open. Standing before them was their father, towering like their wardrobe. Lui instantly noticed that he was standing right under his father's nose. Lui had grown taller over summer.

"Oh, children." He picked up the twins in his arms and walked inside the room. His wife was staring at them, her tired green eyes widened in surprise. "A gang of cute kids come to pay us a visit, Miku."

"Lui, Ring," the mother stood and tightened her robe around her. She beckoned the elder siblings to come to her arms, and the two ran swiftly and hugged her. Placing a kiss on their heads, she asked how was their day. She even took Mikuo from Lui's arms. "Aw, someone had gotten fatter."

"We are doing fine, mum. It's just Mikuo is a little sad, since neither you nor dad showed earlier." Lui smiled. His mum was really beautiful.

"And because of that, he almost didn't eat his meal, hadn't Brother fed him," added Ring.

"Is that true, sweetie?" Miku ignored the twins screaming as her husband let them hang onto his arms. She walked to the bed with the Ring and Lui.

Ring couldn't stop staring at her, she resembled Mikuo a lot. Of course, why else would she name the youngest after her?

"I just want to see you and dad," the boy answered softly, his round eyes looked glassy. "You look tired, mum. Can I kiss that away?"

The mother chuckled softly and nodded. The boy leaned forward and kissed his mother on the lips, then he asked if he could do that to dad too. This made the mother laugh once more before putting the kid on the bed.

"Len, will you stop that? You guys are so noisy," Miku said and rose from the bed, taking the twins by the hand. The twins instantly pulled her down by the arm and kissed her on the cheeks. The husband swept her from the twins in a jiffy, though.

"My, my, it's time to go to bed now. Mum's really tired. Give us your good night kisses, kids." Len put her down on the mattress, ignoring Miku's glares. The kids kissed their parents good night and left the room. Mikuo kissed Len the longest though, saying that he was kissing his dad's tiredness away. When he asked if his dad wore tall hats too, Len said that no one would wear them anymore.

Len followed the kids back to their room, assuring that they would go to bed, and he apologized for his absence on tonight's dinner. He and his wife had to always visit his parents on weekends to take care of some matters. When the kids bid him another good night, the father went back to his room and found his wife waiting on the bed, the smile on her face from earlier was gone.

"Miku," he called, occupying his side of the bed as he leaned in for a kiss. Miku just let him do what he wanted. "I thought you'd feel better when you see the kids. I told you, they'd be coming tonight."

His voice was laced with concern and sweetness just like fourteen years ago when they married. Among all guys in the world she chose him, because he was the one she loved. Moreover, he was the father of her children. As much as she wanted to cheer up for him, to make him worry less, she couldn't help but crinkle her face and knit her brows. Weekends were the most stressful part of the week.

"I am happy to see them, Len. Of course." Facing him, she placed a cool hand on his cheek. His face never changed at all; he was still the beautiful and glowing man she used to know. "It's your mom's fault why I'm always over thinking. She's making childbirth a competition. Why do you have to be born in a big family, Len? And why were you the first one to marry in your family, huh? The pressure is all mine, you know, being your wife."

"Don't mind mum," he mumbled and pulled his wife to his arms and played with her hair. "We have our own big family now. And anyway, I don't want to have a dozen of kids who wouldn't get along really well. That's based on experience."

"How can I not mind, Len? She's always like that when we are coming over. Am I that slutty to her? She kept on bringing up how we married fourteen years ago."

The blond let out a hoarse chuckle, burying his nose in her hair. They smelled like jasmine, really nice. "You're always slutty to me, Miku."

Miku's nails began to dig on his beautiful face. Of course, he was the same man. He was always that playful, rich jerk she used to hate many years ago. "Watch your language, Len Kagamine. Say that again and you'll get a divorce."

"Oh no, you won't," the blond pulled her hand away from his face and kissed her knuckles. "We have five children and I won't hand them over to you and your parents. I don't want them to wear the same sailor uniforms all throughout their childhood."

"Are you mocking my dad's upbringing?"

"No, no," he winced, voice still sweet (and surprisingly annoying). "I'm not making fun of you, not at all. In fact, I'd like to see you in a sailor uniform once more."

"Really," she looked at him, aghast. "Why did I marry you?"

"We both know just how bold we were when we're teenagers," he winked; she shrugged. "But that's because we love each other, don't we?" added he.

"Perhaps."

Len laughed and hugged her closer. He was addicted to the warmth of her body whenever he would trap her in his embrace. The first time he did this though, he got massive black eye. "Don't _'perhaps'_ me, Mrs Kagamine. You know I hated that word the most." When Miku didn't say a word, he whispered to her ears, "The kids have grownup, haven't they? I kind of felt guilty for not spoiling them. When we had Lui, I thought we would spoil the boy a lot."

"I know," she whispered back, resting her head comfortably on his arm. "Lui is such a good brother. Have you seen how he held Mikuo in his arms? He's such a gentle boy. I can't believe he's fourteen now."

"Yeah," Len sighed. "I can still remember when we first made him in the courtyard-" Miku punched his stomach. She was glaring up at him now. Really. And they say marriage life is boring? It's certainly _vexing_ for Miku.

"Why are you so...ugh. Act your age, Len. We're not teenagers anymore." She continued on her tirade, reminding him that they were on their early thirties now; and if anything, they were no younger than how they looked. Her husband just laughed and kissed her on the forehead as an apology. This side of her was a lot of fun to deal with as well, because when they were younger, she would fluster once the issue was brought up. Right now, it angered her a lot. The catch, he thought she looked sexier when she was mad.

"I won't forget _any_ of that, you know."

* * *

 **a/n. yep, 32-14=18. the two were young parents lol, they're rich kids anw; this is definitely not set in 21st century. (i had fun writing this lol)**


	27. Switched (NSFW)

**Switched**

* * *

She reached up to cover her mouth, not wanting to let the noises she was making be heard. Though it was impossible to hold it back, at least it sounded muffled and faint this way. Her eyes glistened with tears, and her face flushed red. Her whole body felt hot and convulsive; in no time she would explode. Her toes curled and creased the sheets of her bed, proving that it was already too _much,_ she couldn't hold back. The back of her hand was probably bleeding by now, she was biting ever since she covered her mouth. She was reaching her limit now.

Her short teal hair was mussed, sticking to every direction as it sprawled over her pillow. Well, it was a weekend and she was still on bed. Supposedly, she would spend weekends through getting back all the sleep hours she missed during school days, but after a few changes in her life, weekends turned out _this way._

Breathing was never a hard task before, but it seemed untrue given her situation. Her body was making her feel the sensations she never imagined to feel before, never in a million years, and it was rippling through her. This would be over soon, she thought, eyes shut close. This was the first time _he,_ her roommate, had ever done _this_ \- and honestly, it never came to her that such activities were _actually_ existing. Instead of pondering on it - which was making her more embarrassed - she opened her eyes and fixated her gaze on the ceiling. _It was okay_ , she reminded herself, _this way to pay him back._ After all, he was the only who knew about her real identity, and he had kept it well for a month now.

The birds chirped from the trees, the flapping of their wings were heard along with the rustling of the foliage. It was around seven in the morning, the time of the day where most students were still asleep - especially in this wing of the dormitory. The sunlight streaming through the curtains poured on the empty bed pushed against the wall, making the bright, disheveled sheets brighter. She had turned her head towards that direction, her eyes tearful, and thought once more that this was done to pay him back.

"But really," she shut her eyes again, biting her skin once more as her body began to feel _uncomfortable_ with all these _unbearable_ contractions. "He shouldn't be sticking his tongue in _that_ place."

The room was beginning to feel warmer for her. If she could, she would rip her sleeping blouse right away just to feel comfortable. However, she knew better than that since that was the only thing keeping her decent in this very moment. Just when she was so lost with her thoughts, she suddenly felt her body move on its own accord. The noises she was trying to suppress escaped her lips a little louder. No good, she mumbled - tears trickling down her face. Deciding to bite her lower lip to avoid moaning, she brought down her hands and propped herself up to peek at what he was doing. His tousled blond hair came in view, his face buried in between her legs. His hands were keeping her slender thighs apart; she couldn't tell if his hold was firm or gentle, not when her mind wasn't thinking straight.

Her chest heaved as she took sharp breaths, an odd sensation was building up in her. She had been feeling this funny feeling ever since he went down there, and she wished it would end soon because it was extremely uncomfortable. Her toes and fingertips were ticklish and her legs, quivering. The discomfort skyrocketed - mixing up with an uncalled for pleasure - when his cool, sloppy tongue licking her folds earlier, penetrated her deeper as if he wanted to leave nothing untouched. Embarrassing though it was, but she could feel him move inside her and this was making her womanhood pulsate.

"Len!" His name escaped her throat as a harsh whisper, it sounded as though she wanted him to stop. Her face felt so hot, so was her body, that she began to wonder if she was actually ill or not. Reaching out her hands to pull him away, she leaned forward, half sitting, to end this indecency. Much to her chagrin, he moved his hands on her hips and pressed himself even harder. Now, she could feel his straight nose against her groin. This made her breath uneven and her heart beat quicker - not that it wasn't throbbing fast enough already; she felt so uneasy and lightheaded and pained.

"Len - ah, e-enough..." she wanted to keep her voice as low as possible, nevertheless it made speaking a lot harder. Her mind was telling her to scream and to moan and to yell. "Nn..." Her fingers curled against his scalp, nails digging as she tried to hold on his head for her dear life. This blond was so unlike himself, he was literally devouring her - she could tell.

His thrust hastened and turned harsher, sparing no time to listen to her demands. His nails dug deep in her hips as he continued his business down there. He knew it would be done soon, based from the reactions he was getting from her.

In no time, she reached her limit. She tossed her head up as her mind went blank for a moment. It felt like a faucet turned on inside her, her energy spilling out of her body. His tongue went back to business, however he was a lot gentle this time. She was out of her mind right now, her fingers untangled from his hair as she crashed back on the bed. After a good half minute, she felt him release her hips and rose from kneeling on the ground. The cloth of her underwear and the waistband of her pajamas dragged on her skin until they covered what had been exposed ever since she woke up.

Turning her head aside, she watched him as he sat on the floor, eye-level with her. His blue eyes which were usually stoic and deep, we're now dark and humorous. There was a glint of amusement in his face, his lips twitched up to a smirk. She also noticed that there was a white watery liquid dripping from the corner of his mouth. He wiped it with his thumb, and seeing him do that made her more embarrassed.

"Thanks for that, Miku." He reached to fondle her fringe stuck on her sweaty forehead. Miku's heart skipped a beat after hearing her real name being called, because it felt so long since the last she was called by that name. "Who would've thought that dessert comes first before breakfast? Tidy up and I'll reserve your seat in the cafeteria. I'll see you there..." The blond stood and smiled down at her, "Mikuo."

That was right. She cut her hair short, dressed up like a man, and behaved like one. She entered this boarding school in her twin brother's place who went missing a day before his departure. Nobody knew her secret, nobody but Len Kagamine, her roommate. It was done to protect her father's reputation; she and her brother were the duke's bastard children after all. And it was fine too, since nobody knew that Mikuo had a twin sister in the first place.

* * *

 **a/n. it's too embarrassing to write this one lol; very amateurish so i beg ur pardon.**


	28. Maboroshi no Inochi

" _ **Maboroshi no Inochi"**_

* * *

He glanced down at the letters carved on the rectangular marble set firmly on the ground. Its faded gold paint was now grey and dusty, the corners of the marble were almost buried beneath the grasses growing around. Heaving a sigh, he crouched down and put a colourful bouquet of flowers just above the gravestone, and sat there quietly - staring into nothingness.

The wind blew, making the small leaf blades of the equally small grasses sway; his blond fringe was swept aside momentarily too, but soon it glided back too where it was originally combed. He heard the trees rustle and the birds chirp, and those sounds were enough to make him shut his eyes tight enough. He was recalling something.

Aha! It was the _song_ he and _she_ composed, many, many years ago.

Slowly, he batted his eyes, his vision turning blurry, and fixed his eyes back on the letters. The wind was still gently blowing, and trees still rustling serenely. It was his cue to begin, so he took a deep breath. When he let it out, a song went past his lips.

He grabbed the collar of his coat and twisted it up, as if to hide his lower face from no one, and sang loud enough to make it seem like the wind was his music. This, he didn't know, but _she_ came here, in this graveyard too before, probably a year ago, and did the same thing he was doing - to sing. To pay respects. He also didn't know this but, she was crouching on the exact place where he was, and she placed a similar boquet beside the gravestone as well.

Though he hadn't learned any of that, his voice echoed, singing with all of his heart with the wind humming along.

" _April 30, 2005  
Our child became the phantom.  
We named "the life of phantom", TSUKUSHI.  
It was a night with the red moon blazing beautifully._

 _This is your dad and mom's song."_

* * *

 **Author's note:** _Maboroshi no Inochi_ belongs to Sekai no Owari (End of the World), so I have no claims with those words. If you are familiar with the song, you know what's this, er, drabble is all about. By the way, I have two requests saved now, one from the anon reviewer. I won't promise exact dates when to post them, but I will try to work on them once I'm free. Like, totally free. Still, thank you so much.


	29. silver lining

**silver lining**

* * *

He quietly perched on the bench, eyes scanning the scenery before him. Too youthful, he thought as he reached to his pocket to unfold his bonnet kept in there. He glanced back at the soccer field, his irises followed the guys crossing his field of vision. Soccer used to be a fun game to play, but he got over with it. Well, it was fun to play with one's pals - but his weren't here. Stretching the bonnet, he put it on his head, covering most of his hair. His long pink fringe poked out, but it felt like it was glued on his forehead.

' _Didn't matter,'_ he shrugged as if it would make his fringe look better. His eyes were back on the bright green field where boys around his age were running. The soccer ball flew in the air as a gleeful blond kicked it to pass to his blue-haired mate, and the girls watching from the sidelines roared as the dude dashed towards the opponent's goal.

The blue-haired dude seemed to glow as he ran lightning-speed towards the enemy's net. Determination drew a deep furrow between his brows as he skillfully dodged his opponents, all the while keeping the ball with him. He looked as though he was shining under the noon sun, and as he kicked the ball his sweat glimmered like diamonds that were shaken off from his followed next was the deafening uproar from the girls, who, for some reason, hadn't lost their voices because they had been screaming like banshees since the game started.

Anyway, that goal kick deserved an applause. His friends used to tell him that he was shining too (like how the blue-haired boy seemed to shine in his eyes), once he began striding across the soccer field. He just understood what cheesiness his friends were talking about. All these years he thought they were just blabbering bullshit. This thought made him sigh. _'Must be fun to be with them,'_ thought he. Slouching more on the bench, he slid down until he could lean back his head on the bench. Until something _teal_ appeared to his parallel vision. He quickly looked sideways, which seemed to be a mistake, because as soon as he did so, he straightened on his seat.

"Oh, no, no," she waved her hands abashedly and apologetically, her teal hair caught up on a pony shook with her body. "I'm probably invading your alone time. Uh, shall I go?" She gestured a thumb to her right. The awkward smile was still plastered on her face.

Should he speak? Or wincing would do? He hadn't tried speaking to her before, so he was unsure how to respond.

"Uh, I'll take your silence as yes. Okay?" She beamed at him, and he found her rosy cheeks pretty. She fixed her skirt as she sat, face turned towards the boys playing soccer during the lunch break. He could make out the small, fond smile on her lips as she watched the boys playing. Perhaps she knew the boys. But certainly, these boys knew her. In fact, everyone does. She's Miku Hatsune after all.

"Do you see that blond in blue shirt?" asked she.

"Uh, yeah," he mumbled. "He's good."

Miku hummed her ascent. She looked rather energetic after he said his commentary. "The boy's my best friend's younger brother. He's two years younger than us. But even if he's the youngest among those boys in the field, he's still playing with them. And he's doing good at that."

"Ah, so a Kagamine, huh?"

"I'm surprised you know who's my best friend," Miku laughed and looked his way, her eyes smiling. Instantly, he looked away. _Too bright._

"It's really not hard to remember. You're always together, and besides, people talk about you."

"Really, what do they say?" there was concern in her voice, and he wanted to clear the misunderstanding at once.

"Good things," he quietly replied, but still it was audible against the rustling of the trees. "Like, you're kind, and pretty, and...stuff. You probably know already."

Her laughter tinkled again, and for some reason it was louder than the banshee cries of the fangirls. "Oh, I really don't. You know, this is actually the first time we spoke to each other."

"Hn."

"How are you coping with your new class, Yuuma?"

Being called by his first name sounded strange. Nevertheless, it felt reassuring. It felt like he knew that some time, one of these days, he would also belong here.

"Well," he sighed, looking up at the clear blue sky. The blinding silver lining of the clouds shone, making him squint. "I'm still adjusting."

The girl hummed her ascent once more, and he felt that she leaned back on the bench too. So she was tensed talking to him, too? As if she heard his thoughts, Yuuma heard her sigh - and laugh, just as quick. "I thought you would drive me away. What a relief! I hope we'll talk more from now on, Yuuma! I know being transferred on the final semester of your senior year was annoying, but I promise you, our class will treat you like a family too!

"Oh, and if you want to play soccer, tell me right away. Rin's brother, Kaito and Gakupo would love to play with you. They planned asking you out earlier, but you were gone from your seat when the lunch bell rang."

Once again, she beamed at him. Yuuma wasn't sure which was brighter, her smile or the silver lining of the clouds. He squinted at the sight of both, anyhow.

* * *

 **request:** it's yuuma x miku where miku is rather kind and popular, but just can't accept that yuuma just likes being alone at all, so she tries talking to him

* * *

note: it took me so long, yeah. im really busy (even if i share a bunch of memes on my facebook and tweet a lot emotional bullcrap). writing something quick like this is a stress reliever.

p.s. why do i feel like i wrote a super pure girl persona for miku here. yolo so suck it up, ivan.


	30. On Pregnancy

**On Pregnancy**

After five years of being in a steady relationship, Len and Miku decided to hold a wedding ceremony not so long ago. It was a simple one, with a very limited number of guests, since both of them just wanted to formalise everything so they could start their own family. After all, everything was according to their plan because when they were young, perhaps around seven or eight, the two promised to marry and have a family of their own (since both of their families were a disaster). A bit unrealistic, yes, but the two did not intend to back away from that promise no matter how many trials their relationship had gone through.

And so, today was the ninth month of being Mr. and Mrs. Kagamine, and fifth month of Miku's pregnancy. Everything seemed well, but Len never had it easy.

Miku was never this demanding. Sometimes he would just stare at her in disbelief whenever he would come home bringing the fruits she was whining for over the phone, only to throw them away and puke. She would rant later on, as if to give him a scolding sermon that annoying her would be bad for their child, this and that.

"You asked for apples, didn't you?" he tried to argue one time, and it was her cold, hard gaze which told him that he would be sleeping on the couch that evening. "Why are you so mad?"

"Apples smell bad, I hate 'em," she answered plainly before switching the channels.

"What-? I'm sure they aren't-"

"I said I hate them!"

He could only gawk at her and wonder how did his wife, his long-time sweetheart, and his childhood friend became this irrational.

Sometimes the two of them would stand before the mirror in the bathroom, his arms around her waist and his chin on her were married so seeing each other in their undergarments was never an issue anymore. Miku looked so gloomy every time she would see her own reflection and would begin to overthink about him.

"I bet you'll start looking for other girls once the baby bump shows up," she leaned her head back to him, her beautiful face frowning.

These thoughts of hers would make him laugh wholeheartedly. "That's where you're wrong. You know I won't do that."

"Oh, you're just saying that now. You'll hate me once I become fat and unattractive."

"Who says fat is unattractive?"

"I do," she glared at him. "You know you have this habit of complimenting me when we're in _bed_. Remember the first time we did it? Gosh, you're so obsessed with my slim waist, and -"

With a hand clamped over his wife's mouth, he chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, so what. You don't have to say it in detail, okay?"

Slapping his hand away, she glared even more. "Stop acting like a virgin. We're married."

"It's just awkward hearing those."

"Uh-huh? Anyway, my point is, what if I'm not that slim-waisted girl you're crazy for? I will absolutely, certainly, definitely become one! Are you going to cheat on me?"

Len would pinch her cheek and smile at her, and then he would place a kiss on the furrow between her brows. "Stop thinking so negatively about me. I'm all yours so have no room for worries. Now, should we shower? We'll be late for work."

Miku would smile and untangle herself from him. "I really hate that part of you. Talking sweet and all. So annoying."

"You could just say _'I love you, hubby!'_ like any other wife would do," Len cooed and followed her in the shower.

"In your dreams, Len. I'm not your ordinary wife." And she would talk about how cringe-worthy Len's demands were.

Len was not sure if he found Miku's pregnancy fun. It made him excited, of course, but dealing with his wife had come out of control. Her baby bump was obvious now, and for some reason, it made his wife more irritable than usual. One time he was about to leave the house to buy some snack, it was around nine in the evening, and Miku was standing near the staircase.

"Len," she called. "Are you cheating on me?"

"What?"

"Are you leaving me because I'm beginning to get-"

"Hey - hey, hold it up," Len marched to her and held her arm gently. "Hey, Mrs. Kagamine, I'm just going out to buy something to munch. Where did you get the idea of cheating?"

"It's late and you're leaving."

"Whoa," he grinned at her. "If you want to tag along, I'll get your beanie and coat. We'll go to the grocery. By the way," he kissed the side of her eye and went upstairs to fetch her beanie and coat. "Why will I cheat on you? You're annoying and all but that's the reason why I'm stuck with you."

"What did you say, Kagamine Len?" she yelled.

She could always expect for a sickly sweet reply, anyhow. "I'm stuck with you and I love you!"

Len Kagamine, spending almost his entire twenty-six years of existence with this woman, was supposedly _adjusting_ in this new lifestyle. Newlyweds sharing the bed together, that was usual. Sharing the bath, taking turns in preparing the breakfast, designing the baby room - all these things were ordinary. However, Len Kagamine was still not used to it… especially with his wife's weird late-night habit.

Wrapping an arm on his waist, Len felt Miku's chin drilling a hole on his shoulder. She was waking him up on purpose, ignoring the fact that he has to wake up early tomorrow. Groaning, he turned to face her. Her face was barely visible in the dimness of their bedroom, but he was pretty sure that those green eyes were sparkling.

"Okay, what is it?" he leaned forward and gave her a peck on the nose.

"I can't sleep."

"And?" He wanted to say _'I'm sleeping here, hello?'_ but decided against the thought. He couldn't risk it.

She bit her lower lip to suppress a childish grin, but failed to do so, anyway. "I want to eat mangoes."

"Mangoes," he repeated, rubbing the sleep away from his eyes.

"Mangoes," she confirmed, twirling a wisp of his blond hair between her fingers. "Do you think you can buy me some?"

"And where will I buy them?"

"Uhm, from the fruit stand? Or something? Grocery? Supermarket?"

"Hey," he flicked a finger on her forehead. "It's three in the freaking morning. A few hours ago you asked me to buy you a strawberry flavoured milk."

"Is that a no?"

"Obviously."

"Don't be so cruel, Len. I want to see a mango right now. It is so _yellow,_ you know."

"Look at my hair and go to sleep. I'll buy you some tomorrow."

"Buuuut-"

He gave her one, sharp glance before turning to his side of the bed. She didn't say anything, luckily she didn't whine, but all throughout the evening she was clinging to him like a snake to its prey, mumbling in her dreams, _'mangoes'_.

 **Notes:** okay, I tried to edit but if I still miss something, whtvr. lol tysm for reading!


	31. the voice that i'll never hear

**the voice that i'll never hear**

* * *

People would find me creepy if they would realise that I've been watching a certain customer for some time now. I was working part-time in a diner owned by mom's friend for half a year now so I could support myself. And every time in my work, since the last four months, this _certain_ boy would always come in through the glass doors, his head held low, _always,_ always at exactly four in the afternoon.

I was wiping the table clean this time when I heard the tinkling of the bells from the glass doors, which was followed by a faint shuffling and huffing from my behind. Straightening my back and stuffing the rag on my apron's pocket, I was about to greet the customer who just got in when I realised it was the boy again. I glanced at my wrist to check if it's four already, and it was. It was exactly four in the afternoon.

He was a curious case. People like him was always one. But this boy was a strange one. He never let a word escape his mouth - not even once for the entire four months he's been coming in this diner. He piqued my interest a lot, but I never tried coming to him to talk, neither to get his order at the very least. My workmate, Kaito, would always do that. It so happened that he was absent this time.

"Hi," I greeted, sliding the menu on the table towards him. "What can I get you?"

He looked up to me slowly, and when our eyes met, I had to hold back the look of surprise that would surely slip away any moment. He was a gorgeous man just around my age. His straight nose and perfect high cheekbones were breathtaking. His pinkish lips usually pursed, were smiling a little, and I could tell it was for me. That smile. He was a mysterious one, if you'd ask me. If it wasn't for his blue eyes, I'd be scared of him. My dad used to tell me that people with blue eyes were good people. That definitely had no basis, he just loved the calm, deep, blue sea so dearly to come up with such thought. But even the sea could be deadly. So, who knows.

He raked his fingers through his pale blond hair and pushed the menu back to me, a finger pointing on a meal he wanted to have. I smiled.

"Is there anything you want to add?"

He was staring intensely at my lips as I talked, it was kind of bothering, you see. However, right after I finished talking, he smiled.

"Nothing else," said he. "But if you'd be free, I'd love you to take this seat and join me eating."

I chuckled. Was he trying to hit on me? "No, I'm sorry. We have rules here. I can't...join a customer during work hours."

"I'm Len," he said, still smiling. He looked more beautiful as he beamed. Taking off his faded jacket, he chuckled. He probably noticed the surprise written all over my face. I wasn't just used to meeting people who'd tell me their names right away. And I wasn't used to seeing terrible scars like that one in his arm. "Please, I'm afraid I'm taking your time." He nodded at me politely to send me off.

"Sure," I smiled. "I'm…" I trailed off as I put on my nameplate and pointed it with a finger, "Miku, I'm Miku, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Miku. It'd be nicer if I can hear you say your name."

I smiled and turned back to run quickly. I remembered a friend setting me up on a blind date many months ago, to a childhood friend of hers. The meeting place was on a diner near our dorm, at exactly four in the afternoon. I was stood up, though. He was named Len, too, if my memory serves me right. Why that guy never showed up, I didn't know. Well, I didn't _find out_ until three months already passed and my friend just decided to tell me. The boy was caught in a car accident on his way to meeting me and was hospitalized for the past months. As a result of the accident, her friend lost his hearing.

I looked back at him, he was staring at the road from the window blankly. His lips weren't pursed this time, he was smiling. It was such a tiny smile. As I watched him from the counter, the sounds from the kitchen fading into the background, I remembered what he just said on our first talk ever.

" _Nice to meet you, Miku. It'd be nicer if I can hear you say your name."_

I thought, that was quite sad. I never bothered to think about the boy I was never able to meet for a date, but I couldn't stop wondering if he knew I was the girl he was supposed to meet. There was no assurance if he was that boy, too. But...maybe, maybe, he was.

* * *

 **Author's note:** I'm sorry for the inactivity. Uni keeps me busy! Whoo. This update doesn't mean I'll go back updating the rest of my works, too. I'm still busy right now. I've had so much loads to the way, I'm the lead scriptwriter for our play which is a major requirement in Speech and Stage Arts so...y'know what I'm up to.

 **P.S.** Sorry for a quick, boring update. I just...like the idea. No spark, just a curious Miku.

 **P.P.S.** The title is so misleading, but I'll leave it that way.


	32. flower thief

**flower thief**

* * *

He lost another flower today.

The garden was neat and tidy as if it was not moved, not a rock nor a leaf could be seen out of place. But he could see it all, what went misplaced and missing. The colours his flowers bloomed, he knew them all in his memory, so there was no mistaking that three stems of his white roses were taken away.

The frown plastered on his lips deepened along with the creases in between his brows. Who would take interest in his flowers? Sure, he was the only person in the neighborhood who had the patience to tend a flower garden. Most of the times people comment on how un-manly his hobby was, and yet he gave no care. People should care about their own turf. This was his. If people actually liked flowers, they should have grown their own in their yards, or they could have bought some from the shops.

It irked him an awful lot to find some of his flowers plucked from its trees. There were dandelions and daisies in the prairie - and nobody owned those - so why not pick them, instead? Why was the culprit making an effort to climb over his fences, and why was he doing it so stealthily? If the culprit ever tried asking for a stem of rose politely, maybe Len could give some. Now, he could only wonder what motivates the person to barge inside his garden.

Len Kagamine let out a sigh, his shoulders sagging as he brought the new pot down. Last night he stayed in a motel due to the holiday traffic. His excitement to transfer his white roses in full bloom to a separate pot died down (like a deer shot in the wild) when he saw three of his precious flowers gone this morning. What a nice welcome.

His hand found its way to scratch the back of his head in disappointment. This was ridiculous. Why steal flowers? He asked himself for the nth time. Since the culprit managed to barge inside his lot, why not take something more valuable - something that could be sold, you know.

The blond sat in front of his roses, the scowl kept on his face. He had his chin on his palm, his elbow propped up from his folded knees. Meanwhile, his other hand was gripping the trowel loosely. 'This is fucking disheartening,' thought he. Len liked white roses the best because they reminded him of a lovely lady - basically a stranger - who would pass by his garden in the morning and praise the beauty of his white roses. He remembered well how her clear emerald eyes shone when she gazed at his flowers. The lady would smile ever so gently to his flowers and talk to them. She would speak of unwritten poetry lines about his roses' beauty, that no matter how ephemeral a flower was, it's short existence was valuable to the people who'd see it.

That had been his motivation why tend the roses. Not to impress the girl, all right. But rather, he wanted to lighten up people's day if they see beautiful flowers. It was presumptuous for him to assume that flowers had the similar influence to all people, but there was no harm assuming. Since he heard such sweet talk from a lovely lady, maybe people would also see things the same. Flowers were pretty to look at. If these flowers could make a lovely lady even lovelier, what could it do to the world?

All right. The world was an exaggeration. Well, Len was just thinking what sort of impact it could leave to a greater number of could be men and women out there (like him) who would find relief in flowers. Some could find a...deep philosophical connection, like the lovely lady.

Len winced, a sigh escaping his lips. Staying listless would be his top priority as of now, since losing three white roses depressed him a little. He would mope and nobody could stop him.

"Fine," he breathed out, rising from his feet. The sod fell out of the tip of the trowel as he pulled it up as well, leaving a tiny crater on the soil beneath him. The blond glanced at his gates, blue eyes lingering for a moment. It had been three weeks since the lady last walked down this way. She hadn't seen the roses weeks ago since they weren't in bloom back then. Len kind of felt bad if she ever decided to show up again and see none of the white roses. His fringe casted thin shadows over his face as he looked down on the white rose tree. "I'd transfer you tomorrow. Or whenever I feel like doing so. Until then, keep on being pretty, rosy."

He even named his roses. Couldn't they see just how much he valued his roses? The blond put the new pot and trowel on a corner and walked back inside his house. Today was a wasted opportunity to stay out and play with dirt (aka gardening). Len felt bad again since today's weather must have been perfect to stay out.

* * *

He grimaced. His blue eyes looked darker today. There was no sunshine outside, just a heavy downfall drowning all the beauty of the greenery. Soaked in cool rainwater, Len stood at his veranda next to his pot plants. When he first heard the faint rapping on his roof, he knew it would be raining cats and dogs in a short moment. Hence, he bolted out of his bed and dashed to his garden to put his flowers under the roof. He couldn't afford losing those colorful petals because of the heavy rain.

So, here he was. A dude who basically bathed in the morning rain...while still in his pajamas. A pool was growing underneath him, he noticed. The blond pulled his hair out of its pony and decided that it would be best to take a warm shower now. He turned around and made his way inside the house.

It felt like the world was drowning. Len thought that the loneliest days were during a downpour. It felt like the entire place was enveloped with coldness - bound to an everlasting isolation. Nobody tried going out. There were no birds chirping, no sun shining, and no flowers blooming. Rainy days were all but serenity. Too glum, Len mused.

He was already out of the shower this time. Len was in the middle of drying his hair when he heard noises from outside, it was as though someone was shaking his wooden fences. He knew that sound so well, even against the noise of the downpour. It was too early in the morning for the paperboy to bring him his copy of news and bottle of milk. They would rarely go on deliveries during such bad weather, too. The rain sounded so hostile, didn't they notice?

Len tossed his towel to the couch and pulled an umbrella from the rack. He pushed the door open and stood on the veranda; he was about to open the umbrella but he paused, eyes widening as he watched a boy to jump down from the fences. He was around twelve or thirteen, Len couldn't tell, wearing a gray hoodie and black pants. The boy was soaked to the bones, and he seemed unaware of Len's presence on the veranda. So this was the culprit, eh?

Len didn't do anything. He remained standing there, wanting to surprise the boy. The blond watched him to move around his garden. It seemed like he was looking for something. It might be the roses, Len thought, because the place where the boy was checking was where the roses were placed.

The boy's shoulders sagged as he scratched his head, pushing the hood of his jacket off from his head. Teal hair came into view, such hair color made him fairer. Somehow it have an illusion that he was glowing under the grey skies.

"Ah, my bad. Where are the white roses?" he muttered, turning around to look somewhere else. His green eyes brightened up when he spotted the plant sheltered on the veranda, so his legs quickly brought him to a dash...that was until he noticed a tall blond figure standing a meter from the flowers.

"No shit, Sherlock." The boy stopped on his tracks like a movie paused in a sudden. He was now facing the owner. "Hey," he gave an awkward smile, not knowing how to get out of this mess since he was basically trespassing. "Uhm, I was lost so…ugh -"

"You were lost because of the rain so you decided to barge in my lot," Len asked, feigning concern.

"So you climbed up my fence?" he added. The boy nodded at him. "Wow, what are you? A cat? Come here, what's your name? Are you here to steal my roses?"

The boy looked conflicted as he glanced up in the sky, taking in a deep breath as he thought of how to clarify things. "Oh, dear sister. How did I get in here?" he muttered, eyes narrowing at the murky skies.

"You know that you're barging in my property, don't you? I can call the police and tell them about that. I'm not sure what are they going to sanction you for stealing flowers. Do you always come here to get my roses?" Len asked.

The boy shook his head, water dripping from his wet fringe. Yes, he was in this blond's house; but no, he wasn't always stealing flowers. "I don't steal flowers as a hobby, mister. Just letting you know."

Len snorted. "What are you doing that for?"

"Someone's stupidly in love with white roses," he answered, pulling up his wet hood as though itcould shield him from the rain. He was already soaked, anyhow. "I just take them upon her requests."

"You must like that girl to do this occasionally," Len's eyes narrowed as he watched the boy to fidget. The wind had gotten nippy, and it was noticeable that the boy shivered. "What's your name?"

"Mikuo, sir."

"How old are you?" Len added. He crossed his arm as he leaned againt the post on the veranda.

"Thirteen," answered Mikuo, shifting weights on his feet. "Please don't bring me to the police. I will pay the flowers I've taken."

"How'd you do that? You're underage." Len saw him shrug. "All right. I'd let this pass. If you want a flower, tell me. I'm taking care of those flowers for so long before they bloom. I hope you understand what I feel when someone just takes them away."

Mikuo nodded, feeling like a club was pulled out of his chest. It was a relief that he wouldn't be reported to the police.

"But you need to make sure that this girl receiving my flowers is beautiful enough. Where is she?" Len asked, a small smile lighting up his face. He found it cute for a boy of this age to make an effort finding a rose. It was a sweet act,yes. Len didn't do the same when he was twelve - well, at least not for something as shallow as infatuation.

"Oh, she's hardly pretty," the boy commented. He smiled as he looked down on the ground, finding it the most interesting thing in a sudden. "She's the most beautiful face and soul you'll ever meet."

"That's promising. Your girlfriend?"

Mikuo winced, looking up to meet Len's blue gaze. His forest green eyes darted to the rose tree. "Can I have one rose, sir? If you want, you can come with me to visit house is really close."

"On this weather?" Len hesitated, but when he realised that he would do nothing on a rainy day, he agreed. "All right, let me get my coat first."

* * *

"Why the fuck are we here?" Len thought as he followed the boy through still, cold and haunting graveyard. He still wandered how he ended up with his. Just when Len thought this boy was pure and fun… Mikuo brought him to a place where all dead were laid.

In the middle of a thunderstorm.

Really. What the fuck is happening.

"Here," Mikuo suddenly stopped in front a tombstone with a cross situated at the top of it. The boy brought down the white rose Len had given him on the tomb, next to the three roses he stole yesterday. There were dead flowers next to it. Then, he brought out his wallet and pulled out a picture. He handed it to Len and beamed.

"She's my sister. She passed away three weeks ago due to a terminal illness. She always talked about the white roses a blond guy was tending in the neighborhood, and she wanted to see them bloom. She always requested to see them, so I stole some. Sorry about that."

Len looked at the picture with sadness in his eyes, but he agreed with the boy. She was the loveliest face and soul he had seen so far.

* * *

 _A/N: Merry Christmas, everyone. I'm in Vietnam right now for my internship, so I'm busy. I hope you all have lovely holidays. (I've been wanting to write something for vocaloid or CG but, meh.) *WHO ELSE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT TO RC? AAAA. I'm crazy 'bout that fic._


	33. stay

**stay**

* * *

Perhaps, this was hardest part of loving: _staying in love._

She woke up after feeling her body sore. She probably have fallen asleep while reading again. This pain was no longer stranger for it always victimised her neck and hips. Why did she always try to fit her body in such a sofa, anyway? Perhaps, it was all for the sake of coziness.

She blinked her eyes open, thin teal strands of teal hair fell in her sight. The orange tint of the afterglow dappled across the room, painting the floor and walls with shadows and orange hue. She shivered. The breeze was co.

"What time is it?" she thought as she brought her feet down. The moment she was able to stretch her body, there she proved the soreness of it. A light whimper escaped her lips as she straightened her back, but it didn't go unnoticed to the man sitting next to her.

She didn't realise he was there for he was quiet as a mouse. But he was there, sitting with legs crossed. He was such an ink blot to a paper-dressed in all black while sitting on a white couch. He looked up to her, clear blue eyes blinking ever so slow. His long, candle-like fingers pulled his thick-framed spectacles away from his eyes, folding it and hanging it on his shirt's neck.

"What hurts?" he asked with his quiet voice. She didn't say anything. Her eyes remained on him as if this was their first meeting. She noticed he was reading a children's book again. When she didn't say another word, he closed his book and stood.

He towered over her. Clearly, why not? He was from a family of tall people and pretty faces and fair skins. His long limbs and legs looked so strong. He was a man. He didn't say another word too, neither a smile. Both of them were wearing such blank expressions. He pulled her gently towards him, tugging on her arm and hips. She tumbled a few steps to him, face crashing against his chest.

"Where does it hurt?" he asked, fingers combing through her unruly hair. The next thing she knew, she had her hair in a ponytail. He bent down to press a kiss beside her eye, and she blinked in surprise. "Do you want a coffee?"

"No, I don't drink coffee. You know that," she spoke, wrapping her arms around his neck. Whenever he would bend down to her height, this was the only time she could see his beautiful face in eye level. Selfish as she was, she wanted memorise this face even better. "Why are you so forgetful?" Truly, she wanted to ask why he was so beautiful. She wanted to know how can a man be so beautiful.

"I'm not," he answered. "You're simply not you when you wake up. You're always in a daze. So, where does it hurt?"

She smiled, pulling away from his gaze. His line sounded like it was from a famous chocolate snack. "My neck and lower back," she trapped his face in her palms. "I love you." She felt like there was a need to tell him this. People might say it cheesy as fuck, maybe they're right.

"Are you asking for a box of pizza? You know that a simple _'declaration'_ of your love won't make me so happy," he jested, eyes narrowing as he smiled. "Though that was flattering, not enough."

"Fine," she sighed, rolling her eyes. This self-conceited man. "Let's go out tonight."

"Where do we go?"

She smirked. "Your choice," she knew it. Her fiancé wanted to do something else. Usually he would automatically say the place he had in mind whenever they go bargaining like this. His tiny smile was telling something else, though.

"Wherever you're happy," she dismissed, untangling herself from his to make her way to the kitchen.

"Wow. That's so manly to say, sleepyhead. What about in the bedroom to make some love?" he sneered and strided to her side, capturing the girl in his arms. "That wouldn't cost us money and gasoline."

"Are you kidding? Go hire a whore to do you," she answered, rolling her eyes. "You know my belief and I won't back down. I won't sleep with you until the wedding day."

His hands found their way to ruffle her fringe. The serious face he was wearing was now gone, and his smile was more radiant and alluring than the afterglow. His toothless smile. She wondered why he'd never show his teeth whenever he'd smile. "I know, that's why I love you."

She rolled her eyes in disbelief. "Whatever. So, where do you want to go?"

"To your little brother," he giggled. "I want to help him practice tonight."

She gave him a skeptical look, unsure why he would like to see her little brother now. Mikuo was only ten. Though he had issues with her fiancé, Miku thought it was rather petty.

"Mikuo? Tonight? So you're staying in my house tonight." She nodded in understanding. "I see."

"Settled," he chimed. "Is there anything you want to eat? I'll make it."

"I'd like some pasta, please."

"Alright," he pushed her down on the seat. She laughed, commenting that he was being extremely nice to her. When he argued that he had always been, she pretended to gag.

* * *

She opened the door with her foot, making sure that it wouldn't make a single sound. Miku didn't want to disturb her brother and fiancé sleeping on the carpeted floor of the study room. A pile of books were discarded on a corner. Several pieces of paper littered the room, too.

Miku tiptoed inside, avoiding the books and pieces of paper on the ground. She saw what was scribbled on the paper. Her fiancé and her brother were doing some math. Miku crouched in front of her sibling, reaching out to remove his eyeglasses.

As she tucked him under the sheets, Mikuo's voice echoed in her memory. This boy told her before that her relationship with her boyfriend didn't feel like it involved "love". _"You're acting like mere friends,"_ the boy said, three years ago when she first introduced her boyfriend. _"I don't like him."_

"It's because we're friends," she mumbled, brushing Mikuo's fringe aside. He was her splitting image. "I'd like to spend the rest of my life who makes me _this_ comfortable. I don't think friendship is a _mere_ thing, too."

She placed a kiss on his forehead before moving to her lover. He was dozing off the same, snoring faintly. She marveled at the sight of his sleeping face. It was the same amorous visage she saw when she was thirteen, the moment he climbed down the stairs on the first day of eighth grade.

"I know you love me, but I still don't know why." Miku reached for his glasses, keeping it off from his shirt. "I don't have to ask since I'm feeling it. But I want to hear why." She smiled at him though he was unaware of the conversation going on.

Her fiance began to stir, feeling the heavy comforter on his shoulder. After recovering from the dazzling lights, his tired hands shot for her, pulling the girl towards him. He whispered, "Stop asking why, will you? I won't say anything."

"I find that weird," she mumbled against his ear, adjusting herself comfortably on his lap.

"This is a topic an engaged couple wouldn't normally talk about anymore," he nuzzled on her head as if she was a pillow. "Just stay in love with me as I am with you."

* * *

a/n. totally pointless, isn't it? somehow i just kinda feel like making a romance that didn't feel like romance and this was one doesn't give off the _R_ feels. boring but I'm glad with this brevity.

updating coz im still here.


	34. HSAM

**HSAM**

* * *

She held the guitar close to her chest. She never meant to become a popular singer at once, but her she was—the rising star in the music industry.

The newbie.

The amateur.

The YouTube star.

Her long hair was caught up in some twisted braid pinned on her head. Styling her hair had been a normal routine these past months after numerous TV appearances and music video tapings. However, when they would style her hair, it felt heavy and unreal. She was itching to pull out those hair pins and just lay it down. She wanted to look simple. After all, she was just a country singer.

A heavy sigh escaped her parted lips. It could mean many things. In fact, it meant everything. She was sitting with the famous people of the music industry after all. When her best friend uploaded that video where she was singing, she didn't thought it would bring her to this place. She only sang because she felt bad after being ignored…by her favourite band. During an album signing. Silly, wasn't it?

For her, it wasn't.

It never was. The lead singer was her childhood crush who left their town at the age of five. Somehow, her hyperthymesia made it hard for her. Remembering all memories, their exact dates and details, left her stuck in both present and past. Stuck with the past's forgotten promises. It was this HSAM's stupid fault.

Her train of thoughts was cut short when the host called her for a special number.

"…the young, country singer, Miku Hatsune!"

Gone was her nervousness when she held her guitar by its fret. She was deaf to the cheers and applauses. Her feet automatically brought her to the stage, to the spotlight, to mic. She didn't see faces, but she knew there were people seated down there, all eyes and eyes to her. They wrote good music, better than hers, and perhaps they would criticize her like they always do. She had no care, on one hand. She just wanted to sing a song she has yet to release on her first album. For what, to win awards?

No, but to remind someone about her.

She sighed audibly on the mic, that's a part of the song, and the piano played. She knew Flower's on the keys. Her best friend had been her colleague when it came to this. Without further ado, her fingers started plucking the strings.

 _Once there was a girl and people_

 _called her bubbly gal_

 _for she could tell stories_

 _more than an hour and a half_

Miku was such a lovely girl. She never thought she was, but that was what everyone would say. When she was young, her grandparents loved to listen to her stories. Her stories would always be in complete detail—all the words she heard from people, she could remember it.

One day, on a summer day, she met their new neighbour. He was three, like her. There was no way on earth she could forget that boy with lemon hair standing in their yard. She was talking to her doll about the dogs Mrs. Prima walked this morning and how they scared Mr. Tony who was out for his morning jog. The new boy said she was too talkative.

'Dolls don't talk back,' said he, a crease forming between his brows. He had an amazing pair of blue eyes which looked a lot like the summer sky. They were big and round, like two summer skies shaped into marbles. His eyes were glowing against his pale skin. He was so white like a ghost. But he was alive. His hair was too bright.

'But your voice sounds lovely. Do you sing?' he didn't wait for an answer, he just walked to her and began singing.

That was the start of music lessons with his grandmother.

 _Her stories were gone_

 _when this boy came,_

 _too young for those blue eyes,_

 _she said yes, anyway,_

 _when he asked her to sing._

Also, there was no way on earth she would forget when his grandmother died. It was a bleak day with grey skies. People wore black hats and black ties. She carried white roses and dropped them to her casket. The boy was left with his mom standing next to the freshly covered grave when everyone started to leave. His lemon hair…and his lonely blue eyes…

 _She was cursed to remember everything_

 _And he swore to forget everything_

 _So how on earth would he remember_

 _The girl who sang with him one summer's day?_

Miku's swift fingers began strumming the guitar as the beat from the drums chorused. Pretty sure Kaito was on it. He always had the perfect timing when it's all about the beat. She could feel the excitement building up as the notes signalled the chorus. She faced the light and let her voice carry her feelings out.

 _And I say hey-yeah-eh,_

 _I would stop writing for the broken hearted_

 _I say hey-yeah-eh_

 _This is the love letters_

 _remained unsent._

That boy never showed up again. At least, she meant that lively boy who loved to sing. He was always moping and unenergetic. He didn't sing anymore. He promised he would sing, one day, if he became happy again. That was the same day when he came back later in the afternoon, saying goodbye.

 _The question is: are you happy now?_

 _This bubbly gal can still recall_

 _The tears in your eyes_

 _And the frown on your lips._

 _How real are they, lemon guy?_

 _How real are they?_

She never heard anything about him or his family for more than a decade. It was during her senior year in high school when a new band had a debut. It happened that she was on the music channel to find a good song to sing with Flower and Kaito, when this band appeared. How could she forget that lemon hair and bright blue eyes, when they reminded her so much of summer? Funny enough, their debut song was about a summer memory from one's childhood. Miku was sure as heck that she was that girl talking to a doll. The song was melancholic, though. Because the song sang, 'Not all summers were fun.' His 'granny' died during the same season, too.

 _She was cursed to remember everything_

 _And he swore to forget everything_

 _No name, no face, no towns and dates_

 _How can I make you memorise my name?_

 _And I say hey-yeah-eh,_

 _I would stop writing for the broken hearted_

 _I say hey-yeah-eh_

 _Sing with me now,_

 _Under the same tree and the same sky,_

 _Let's spend summer_

 _with notes and guitars._

She knew he wouldn't remember her, for as soon as he finished the song, the same boy with lemon hair came up and congratulated her.

"That was a nice song," he said, flashing a dazzling smile. She only nodded politely, before waving to the audience goodbye. They performed after her. And her song, despite pouring all her heart to it, didn't reach his heart.

* * *

 **a/n.** _you know what's funny? i never thought miku would fit as a country singer l-o-l. people always make her sing upbeat pop songs. i love keeno, so i'm thinking of his (?) songs using miku's dark append. those were mostly ballad or whatnot - idk - but yeah. quick lenku before i drown with the novels i wanna read._

 **p.s.** _i write songs, too. not like this one with trash un-thought lyrics lol_


End file.
